YouTube Is an Inconsistent Source of Information on Orthobiologics: Implications for Content Quality, Reliability,...

To assess the reliability, quality, and completeness of YouTube videos on orthobiologics and evaluate whether the content aligns with current clinical evidence and regulatory guidelines.

One hundred YouTube videos on orthobiologics were analyzed using the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark score, the Global Quality Scale (GQS), the modified DISCERN questionnaire, and an orthobiologics grading system (OGS). Video views, duration, source, and content type were examined to determine their impact on informational quality.

Of the 100 videos reviewed, 18 were excluded for reasons such as unrelated content or duplication, leaving 82 for analysis. The average number of views per video was 5,217, with a total of 427,825 views. Most videos (33%) were uploaded by independent users, whereas only 1% were from government or news agencies. The mean JAMA score was 2.8 (indicating low-moderate transparency and credibility); GQS score, 3.2 (reflecting moderate overall quality); modified DISCERN score, 3.7 (representing moderate reliability in discussion of treatments); and OGS score, 9.6 (indicating limited comprehensiveness with many videos lacking critical details). There were no significant associations between video source or verification status and any scoring metrics (P > .05). Longer videos were associated with higher JAMA, GQS, DISCERN, and OGS scores (P < .05). Health information websites had higher OGS scores (P = .001).

YouTube videos on orthobiologics show low to moderate reliability and quality, with limited comprehensiveness. Most content is produced by independent users, with minimal contributions from verified health organizations. Longer videos were associated with higher quality scores, whereas verification status and video source showed no significant correlation with content quality.

Given YouTube's role as a health information source, this study highlights the need to enhance the quality of educational content on orthobiologics to better support patient understanding and decision making.