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AI 鈥榙eepfake鈥� videos that mimic reputable health professionals pose real public health risk, the Australian Medical Association () has warned. Calling on the Australian Government to crack down on 鈥渢his dangerous practice鈥�, AMA President Dr Danielle McMullen has written to Communications Minister Anika Wells urging the introduction of clear and enforceable regulations on health-related advertising online.

鈥淲e are now living in an age where any video that appears online has to be questioned 鈥� is it real, or is it a deepfake?鈥� McMullen said. 鈥淒eepfake videos are becoming more and more convincing, and this technology is being exploited by dodgy companies peddling snake oil to vulnerable people who are dealing with serious health issues.鈥�

Dr Norman Swan, former AMA president Professor Kerryn Phelps and Professor Jonathan Shaw are among the trusted clinicians to have had their identities misused in deepfake videos that promote unproven products, the AMA said.

The deepfake video in Shaw鈥檚 case was advertising an unproven dietary supplement as a treatment for type 2 diabetes. In the case of Swan, his deepfake was selling supplements or weight loss products purporting to treat diabetes, heart disease or obesity, while scientific evidence was denigrated as 鈥渟tupid鈥�.

鈥淭hese videos encourage consumers to abandon clinically validated therapies in favour of unscientific alternatives,鈥� McMullen said. 鈥淒isturbingly, many health professionals only become aware they have been impersonated when patients raise questions about discontinuing their prescribed treatments or request information about where to purchase so-called 鈥榤iracle cures鈥�.

鈥淚 first discovered a fake profile impersonating me when a family member called to ask if I really believed in what they were selling,鈥� McMullen added. 鈥淚n addition to the very serious health risks, these scams also pose a financial risk to vulnerable Australians.鈥�

McMullen鈥檚 letter to Wells urged the Australian Government to introduce clear and enforceable guardrails governing the use of AI in health-related advertising and communications 鈥� content hosted by digital platforms and social media providers operating in Australia, particularly.

Recommended by the AMA is a regulatory framework that includes the following:

• Mandatory identification听of the individual or company responsible for any online material promoting a medical product or service.
• An accessible portal听for individuals to report fake or misleading AI-generated or other content.
• Unsubscribing mechanisms听to allow users to opt out of unsolicited medical advertising.
• Takedown requirements听mandating platforms to remove harmful content within a specified period after a complaint is lodged.
• Enforcement powers, including the ability to issue infringement notices for non-compliance.
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鈥淪ocial media giants also need to do everything in their power to stamp out these dangerous videos,鈥� McMullen said. 鈥淎t the moment, this is an endless game of whack-a-mole, so it is important to implement strict and enforceable rules and deterrents.鈥�

Image credit: iStock.com/Laurence Dutton