Bad Influence: How the Internet Hijacked Our Health [Deborah Cohen]

You used to see a doctor. Now you go online. Need to focus? Want to lose weight? Build muscle? Get pregnant? Advice is just a click away. With long waits for treatment and fewer face‑to‑face GP appointments, influencers have stepped into the breach. From doctors promoting untested therapies to celebrities selling solutions, these self-styled experts radiate wellness and guarantee results. Exploring the transformation of a healthcare system driven by online trends, Dr Deborah Cohen reveals the truth behind Ozempic influencers, AI-powered diagnoses, ‘preventative’ screening and Instagram’s favourite wearable tech. Her book, Bad Influence, is about the commodification of health in an age of anxiety and why we can no longer distinguish medicine from marketing. Dr Deborah Cohen is an award winning medically qualified broadcaster, journalist and editor, who has worked across mainstream and academic print, digital, TV and radio. Having established the investigations unit at The BMJ, one of the world-leading medical and health policy journals, she specialises in complex investigations combing rigorous data analysis with journalism. Dr Cohen was recently Science Editor of ITV News and UK and Health Correspondent for BBC Newsnight leading their Covid-19 coverage. With several major investigations for BBC Panorama, Channel 4 Dispatches, ITV Tonight and BBC’s File on Four, Dr Cohen’s work has contributed to major changes in health policy and medical practice. It and has led to questions being asked in parliaments around the world. Dr Cohen is the author of Bad Influence: How the Internet Hijacked Our Health – published in January 2026 – which examines how the internet, commercial incentives and influencer culture are shaping our health. Her work has also garnered international media coverage and has been the basis of Netflix documentaries and global investigations. In addition to her experience working at the interface of the mainstream media and academia, Dr Cohen has substantial experience helping experts develop and present their work in a digestible and accessible way.