Meet the TikTok doctor fighting fake news about monkeypox

As monkeypox cases rise across the world so is the misinformation around the virus. US-based pediatrician and clinical immunologist, Zachary Rubin, has been fighting medical fake news on TikTok since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Recently, he turned his attention to debunking monkeypox myths.

There are now more than 780 cases in non-endemic countries around the world of monkeypox – a viral disease similar to smallpox but much less deadly.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says that the risk posed by monkeypox to global health is “moderate” but the outbreak has contributed to the spread of online rumours and conspiracy theories, similar to those that circulated about COVID-19.

Since the coronavirus pandemic began, Dr Rubin has debunked a lot of medical misinformation spreading on social media. He now has a following of over 160,000 followers on TikTok. 

Dr Rubin has posted videos like the one below, debunking false claims that monkeypox only affects LGBTQI people. 

The vast majority of infections detected so far are in gay and bisexual men after sexual encounters. 

But health officials confirm that anyone, regardless of their sexual orientation, is potentially at risk of catching monkeypox if they are in close contact with a patient, their clothing or their bed sheets.

For Dr Rubin these sorts claims can be so dangerous and marginalising towards certain communities.

“My main concern is that people aren’t going to take this seriously enough, when we consider that this type of disease has a high fatality rate and can severely affect children. 

But when people are spreading misinformation it does confuse people about what monkeypox is and whether it should be taken seriously,” he told Euronews. 

In an other video, Dr Rubin debunks multiple false claims such as the virus being a new one or that the virus is as contagious as Covid-19. 

The doctor has also seen multiple similarities between myths surrounding COVID-19 and monkeypox.

“There’s this idea that the government is trying to control its people whether it’s COVID-19 or monkeypox. We’re also starting to hear that Bill Gates has created both diseases. In terms of vaccination, there are similar anti-vaccine rhetoric that it’s unsafe which is untrue,” explained Dr Rubin. 

Last week, WHO’s top expert on monkeypox, Dr Rosamund Lewis, said she doubted the disease would trigger a pandemic, but that actions should be taken quickly to curb its spread. 

This may include actions by social media companies to prevent an infodemic of false claims about monkeypox.