WHY DR. GOOGLE SHOULDN'T BE YOUR MAIN ATTENDING PHYSICIAN

These days, many of my patients enter the clinic not with trembling hands holding their lab results, but with smartphones clenched tightly like stethoscopes. Before I can even greet them, they announce their self-diagnosis with the confidence of a resident fresh out of internship: “Doc, I think I have lupus. Or maybe leprosy. Google said so.”

- DR. RAFAEL R. CASTILLO

pulse check DR. RAFAEL R. CASTILLO

It’s a scene I now encounter weekly, sometimes daily. The internet, particularly "Dr. Google," has become the new first-line physician for millions of Filipinos. And while information is empowering, misinformation can be downright hazardous.

Let's be fair. Dr. Google is convenient. Available 24/7, with no consultation fee, no waiting room, and no scolding about late-night lechon. In a country where seeing a doctor can mean hours in traffic and weeks waiting for specialist slots, a quick search feels like a lifesaver.

Global surveys confirm this habit. According to a 2023 Pew Research study, over 70 percent of adults admit to searching health symptoms online before consulting a professional. In the Philippines, the percentage is likely higher, given our universal love for both “tsismis” and instant answers.

But herein lies the rub: Just because the answer is instant doesn’t mean it’s accurate — or appropriate for you.

Googling symptoms is a bit like typing “headache” and ending up convinced you have a brain tumor, dengue, and alien abduction syndrome all at once.