Misrepresentation of semaglutide in social media

In recent years, semaglutide has repeatedly attracted attention in the press and on social media due to its effects in weight management. The social media hype led to off-label use and global supply shortages. Our goal was to identify differences in the presentation of semaglutide on individual social media platforms. Additionally, we aim to investigate the mentioning of various aspects such as adverse drug reactions, drug indications, supply shortages, and costs. Current social media trends regarding semaglutide were also included in the analysis. We collected semaglutide-related posts from the social media platforms Instagram, TikTok, X, Facebook, and YouTube. The posts were then analysed and compared with the adverse drug reactions presented in the STEP trials. Semaglutide was presented by social media users almost exclusively for weight reduction. Misrepresentation of the pharmacological properties of semaglutide with respect to mechanism of action, indication, adverse effects, and drug interactions was very common on social media. The important aspect of treatment costs and supply shortages was barely covered, if at all. Most content creators on Instagram and TikTok were female semaglutide users without medical knowledge. Strikingly, the very common gastrointestinal problems during semaglutide therapy were not even mentioned on Instagram. Some of the posts found under the hashtag "ozempic" advertised products that did not contain semaglutide. Violations of the Medicinal Products Act were also identified. Videos of weight loss results have a high probability of artificial intelligence (AI) modification, which can lead to user deception. Social media often provides misleading information, especially regarding drug indications and adverse drug reactions. YouTube has emerged as the most reputable platform for medical information, whereas Instagram provides the least medical knowledge. Misinformation and AI-modified videos can negatively impact the self-perception of young social media users, leading to unreflected medication use.