A CHARITY has appointed its first ever Digital Nurse to help combat ‘fake news’ about cancer.

Macmillan Cancer Support says it fears cancer patients are turning to unverified websites for information that leaves them needlessly frightened and at risk of bogus cures. 

The charity cited a website that claims chemotherapy is a bigger killer than cancer itself, while another site reports baking soda can cure breast cancer.

The Digital Nurse Specialist, based in Glasgow, will be solely dedicated to answering questions from people affected by cancer online, on Macmillan’s social media platforms and the charity’s Online Community.

The appointment comes as Macmillan research, conducted by YouGov, found that more than a third (37%) of people in Scotland with cancer looked up information about their diagnosis online.

Of those, one in ten (10%) people said they went online because they didn’t fully understand what they’d been told about their cancer. 

An estimated 3450 people (4% of cancer patients in Scotland who looked online for information after diagnosis) in Scotland with cancer thought they were going to die after looking up information about their disease online.

Macmillan’s head in Scotland, Janice Preston said: “It’s understandable that people go online to look up their diagnosis, but it’s vital they get information from reliable sources. 

“As well as fantastic information and support, the web is full of unverified statistics, fake news and horror stories that can cause people unnecessary worry and distress. 

“It’s important people have access to trusted information online and know how to separate websites that are accurate and reputable from those with incorrect or even dangerous information.

“We hope our new digital nurse help people who want to find answers online.  

“She will be there to answer questions from people across the UK about cancer and make sure they get the information they desperately need.”

Last June, the first ever Cancer Patient Experience Survey in Scotland revealed that a quarter of patients (25%) did not fully understand the explanation of what was wrong with them.