Wikipedia 90% Wrong in New Medical Survey

There's a new study out by a rather prestigious medical journal reporting that if you use Wikipedia to check on a costly medical condition, 9 out of 10 times the information is going to be wrong, or at least full of errors and inaccuracies. Campbell University scientists reported in the current issue of The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, that they found “many errors” in Wikipedia articles concerning the 10 costliest medical conditions. 

The report cross-checked Wikipedia entries on coronary disease, lung cancer, hypertension and back pain, among other ailments, against the latest research from peer-reviewed journals. Nine out of 10 entries analyzed on the crowd-sourced encyclopedia contained assertions that were contradicted by the peer-reviewed sources. Only the entry on concussions escaped the review error free. “Health care professionals, trainees, and patients should use caution when using Wikipedia to answer questions regarding patient care,” wrote the study’s authors. The basis of the study challenges the quality of content found in Wikipedia and builds on previous studies that have shown widespread use by physicians and medical students of Web tools including Wikipedia, to find information for patient care. 

The authors laid particular stress on medical professionals; a recent study found that 50 percent of physicians admitted using Wikipedia as a reference source. The findings of their study demonstrate that assertions (facts) presented in Wikipedia for these medical conditions were mostly in discordance with peer-reviewed literature. These results cast serious doubt on Wikipedia's authority as a medical reference repository. Overall, the study adds credence to the message librarians have heralded: medical professionals should be educated about and engaged in the critical analysis of online information. In other words, information literacy should provide a basis for evidence-based practice.