When pseudoscience goes viral: Public Health implications of unchecked health misinformation online

In November 2024, a legal dispute erupted in Mexico between Dr. Octavio Arroyo, a licensed physician and science communicator, and Maria Fernanda ‘Maryfer’ Centeno, a television personality and graphologist. The controversy, sparked by Centeno’s viral claims that handwriting exercises with blue ink could promote weight loss, cure epilepsy, and provide other health benefits, highlighted the growing crisis of pseudoscience in public discourse. Centeno’s statements, widely criticised by healthcare professionals as pseudoscientific, led Dr. Arroyo to publicly challenge her claims, resulting in a legal complaint from Centeno accusing him of digital gender-based violence. The case ignited broader debates about gender dynamics, freedom of speech, censorship, the misuse of legal mechanisms, institutional corruption, and the role of digital influencers in spreading misinformation. However, this incident also underscores a critical public health issue: the unchecked proliferation of health misinformation on digital platforms and the risks posed to professionals who challenge pseudoscientific claims. The lack of accountability for such influencers and the erosion of scientific and legal integrity present serious challenges to global public health systems, with wide-reaching implications for both science communication and the integrity of public discourse.