YouTube will turn eligible doctors’ channels into official health info sources

YouTube previously worked with accredited health organisations such as AIIMS, NIMHANS, Apollo Hospitals and Max Healthcare [File]
| Photo Credit: REUTERS

YouTube has said it will allow registered doctors, nurses, mental health professionals, and health information providers in India to undergo an application and verification process so that their channels can become eligible for health product features.

The platform previously worked with accredited health organisations such as AIIMS, NIMHANS, Apollo Hospitals, and Max Healthcare in order to make fact-checked health information available to internet users. Now, it plans to allow medical workers and experts to join these networks and add their own channels to the pool of vetted accounts.

“Whether you have busted health myths with Dr. Cuterus, found ways to cope with anxiety with Mental Health with Sonali or better understood heart health from Dr Shailesh Singh, there are communities on YouTube that are helping people become more informed, engaged and empowered about their health,” said the Director and Head of YouTube Health, Dr. Garth Graham, in a blog post.

In order to be eligible for this update, the applicants must be registered, follow industry-standard best practices, and have a YouTube channel that is in good standing.

“In the coming months, eligible channels that have applied through this process will have health source information panels underneath their videos, to help viewers identify them as authoritative sources. And, content from registered healthcare providers will also be included and highlighted within health content shelves when viewers search for health topics,” noted the company in the blog post.

In addition to this, YouTube said that it would support more content-creating medical institutions so that over 140 physical and mental health conditions would be covered, in Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Gujarati, Bengali, Malayalam, Punjabi, and English.