The Cura Project Institute's campaign combats “fake news” about breast cancer on social media

With the pandemic, there was a great spread of false health news and, when it comes to cancer, incorrect information can be harmful to treatment and cause many health problems. But this is an older and very common conversation, where most cancer patients always receive “indications” of some miraculous cure for cancer: tea, a drink, and others, are offered by relatives and neighbors with the intention of helping, but they can end up getting in the way a lot.

With that in mind, the Cura Project Institute chose to follow a different line this Pink October, breast cancer awareness month, bringing a campaign to counter these myths in a direct and objective way: in big letters, false news is exposed and, in the following image, we see the message “The cure for cancer begins with research”.

“We, at the Cura Project Institute, believe in evidence-based medicine. What is that? It is the practice based on scientific studies and not on popular “guesses”, such as those detailed in the campaign”, explained Fernanda Schwyter, president of Cura.

According to Oncologist and Researcher, Dr. Liliam Arruda: “The search for a cure for cancer is based on research and the tireless commitment of the scientific community. However, the dissemination of disinformation, such as fake news, threatens to undermine the promotion of beneficial practices, underscoring the importance of basing our hopes and resources on truth and science.”

There are patients who are already aware of this issue and are committed to vetoing the dissemination of this type of information. This is the case of the health influencer, the publicist Paula Dultra, one of the pioneers to talk about breast cancer on social media. “I have been an oncology patient for 13 years and, in all that time, I've heard a lot of things! They have already told me to drink holy water, soursop tea, lemon water, and others. For me, who read, study, and create content, I already know that this doesn't work, but what about the patient who has no access to information? We have to think about that. That's why I use my site Mão na Mama and my social media profiles to help share secure information”, she said.

How to identify fake news?

The Cura Project Institute presents some careful guidelines before you pass on news that may not be true. Check it out below:

• Check that the news is from a reliable communication vehicle and that the information is available on that information channel.
• Be wary of sensationalized news that may bring hope or fear to certain situations.
• Even if the information received is credible, try to find out if it was based on any study that followed methodological criteria.
• In many cases, fake news is inconsistent. It is enough to read or watch the material carefully to notice that technical and scientific explanations are lacking.

The most important thing is that when in doubt, you should not pass on the news and, if you can, consult a specialist.

Cura performs Live in Pink October, with the theme “Is there a cure for breast cancer?”

The Cura Project Institute is committed to the dissemination, information, and education about the importance of Clinical Research, and this month of Pink October would be no different. With an action that brings information to people, the institute intends to make people aware, through clear and objective language, of the best path to cure cancer. And to further expand this communication, the Institute will carry out through Instagram @Cura project a Live with the theme:”Is there a cure for breast cancer?”

Live will take place on October 19 at 8 pm, with Oncologists and Researchers Dr. Heloisa Resende and Dr. Lilian Arruda, to clarify and demystify myths and reinforce that curing cancer begins with research. At the invitation of Dr. Heloisa Resende, “the topic will be breast cancer, the most common cancer in women in Brazil. We will address the aspects related to the diagnosis and attitudes that we can all adopt towards a more favorable scenario, in which more lives are saved.”

To make a donation and learn more about our projects, visit our Donation tab, follow our Social Networks @projetocura (Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn) or contact us at eventos@projetocura.org.