Comment: The Independent reports on a study done at Sheffield University in the UK examining the effect of social media misinformation on attitudes toward birth control pills.
February 16, 2026 – The Independent – Olivia Petter – Link: https://www.the-independent.com/life-style/health-and-families/features/nocebo-pill-hormonal-contraception-scaremongering-b2887231.html (paywall)
Excerpt: “The message could not be clearer: going on the pill is psychologically dangerous. Avoid it at all costs. And a lot of women are, according to a new study that found online misinformation is putting us off the pill. Conducted by psychologists at Sheffield University, the research noted how social media myths are fuelling a rise in what’s called a “nocebo effect” whereby negative expectations around the pill are leading to real adverse symptoms or experiences that are psychological in origin.
September 13, 2025 – Sheffield University Press Release: https://sheffield.ac.uk/news/why-some-women-experience-side-effects-while-taking-pill
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