Empowered Health - Ep. 55: Influencer Mania: The unregulated business practice that you're friends with, featuring Dr. Sophie Boerman and Suzanne Zuppello

Ep. 55: Influencer Mania: The unregulated business practice that you're friends with, featuring Dr. Sophie Boerman and Suzanne Zuppello

05/04/20 • 45 min

Influencers aren't just promoting beauty, lifestyle, and fashion products anymore, they're posting #ads with medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and even testimonials on surgical techniques. But is this ethical? Dr. Sophie Boerman, who studies consumers' understanding of sponsored content, helps us understand why these posts are so influential. Suzanne Zuppello, who has been reporting on the trends in health sponcon, breaks down the ways the government has failed at regulating these ads.

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Ep. 54: Unintended consequences: Solo moms face extreme vulnerability during COVID-19 shutdown

While the coronavirus shutdowns have been difficult for everyone, they weigh especially heavy on single moms who are navigating everything alone. Dr. Marika Lindholm, a sociologist and founder of Empowering Solo Moms Everywhere (ESME), an online community for solo mothers, explains how the pandemic has amplified single mothers' socioeconomic vulnerabilities. Across dozens of ESME-hosted Facebook groups, the moms' posts contain the same undertone: They are scared.

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Ep. 56: Patient influencers: Walking an ethical line, with Julie Croner and Suzanne Zuppello

Social media allows those living with medical conditions to share health anecdotes and advice to a wider audience, turning many patients into influencers within their condition's community. Healthcare companies, in turn, have increasingly tapped into these networks by partnering with influencers on campaigns. Julie Croner of WegoHealth, a patient influencer talent agency, joins us to discuss the ethical dilemma that advocates face when compensated. We revisit the credibility issues around influencers' sponsored content with journalist Suzanne Zuppello.