Thanks to widespread awareness campaigns and people sharing their own experiences, we are generally able to recognize scams. We don't trust suspicious traffic fine notifications sent from strange email addresses, we don't enter our bank codes on unfamiliar websites and we don't confirm our identify over the phone. We've learned how to protect our property. But are we just as cautious when it comes to our health and the health of our children?

Society must make sure children have access to scientifically proven treatment

The spread of pseudomedicine in Estonia is a cause for concern. Alternative treatments rooted in misinformation promise quick miracle results, but the price may be a person's health or even their life. Adults have the right to their own opinions, but that right must not endanger a child's life or well-being. Treating a child with pseudomedical practices can mean delays in proper treatment, insufficient medical care, dangerous interventions or being left without care altogether.

Purveyors of pseudomedicine — whether they are unqualified "health advisers" or medically trained doctors and nurses who promote unscientific views — often operate on the same principle as phone scammers: they exploit people's trust and fears to turn a profit.

Their messages are deliberately emotional and manipulative. They share personal stories, speak in an empathetic tone and build trust by showing their face and emphasizing a personal touch. But their "advice" is not based on science; it misleads people and can put the health of both children and adults at risk.

Turning to pseudomedicine doesn't happen in a vacuum. In times of economic hardship, amid a shortage of healthcare professionals and limited access to care, people feel they can't get timely appointments or enough attention. But pseudomedicine isn't necessarily cheap, either.

We're proud of our digital solutions — e-family doctor portals, e-prescriptions and AI advisers — but at the same time, direct contact and being truly heard have diminished. When it's impossible to get an appointment with a family doctor or the wait time for a child's mental health specialist stretches into months, people seek help wherever someone is at least willing to listen — ideally, someone who can also share their own experience.

When a parent turns to the wrong source for help, their child is also put at risk, because a child's health depends on the adult's decisions and access to trustworthy medical care. For example, a parent of a seriously ill child might turn to homeopathy instead of conventional medicine or refuse a necessary vaccination or blood transfusion due to fear-based beliefs. These choices can directly endanger the child's life.

This is a clear signal that the state must provide more accessible, evidence-based medical care. The spread of pseudomedicine cannot be curbed by deleting misinformation or handing out fines alone. Demand will disappear only when people have a viable alternative: accessible, humane and trustworthy healthcare services.

Pseudomedicine not just a matter of false information

Every child must receive treatment based on science, not belief. Every parent must feel that they are not alone in their concern. And the state must take responsibility for ensuring the best possible conditions for a child's survival, development and health.

If parents struggle to navigate the medical landscape and distinguish between scientifically proven treatments and pseudomedicine, it is even more difficult for children to recognize right from wrong.

Children depend on their parents and generally do not question their parents' knowledge or decisions. Raising awareness among both children and adults about how to identify pseudomedicine helps reduce health risks that arise when people reject conventional medicine or turn to pseudomedicine for help.

We cannot control everything that spreads on social media, but we can equip young people with the knowledge and skills they need to navigate today's information overload. If that support doesn't come from home, then schools must provide children with a foundation in critical thinking and health literacy.

The spread of pseudomedicine is a collective challenge — not just a problem for the medical profession or health authorities. A comprehensive, cooperative effort is needed and the voices of children and young people must also be heard.

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