Blood tests can be used to help diagnose Alzheimer’s disease in people experiencing problems with memory and other cognitive abilities.
Researchers from the University of Sydney reviewed 188 posts about the tests on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. The posts were published between March 2014 and May 2025, and the accounts behind them had a combined following of more than 114 million.
The study, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, found that 59 percent of the posts described blood tests as a way to enable earlier or more accurate diagnosis.
Important information is missing
According to the researchers, many posts failed to explain that a blood test cannot be used on its own. A clinical assessment is still necessary, and the tests are recommended for people experiencing symptoms.
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Only 36 percent of the posts provided evidence to support their claims. Of these, fewer than one in four referred to a specific scientific study.
The researchers also highlight potential problems associated with testing healthy people. These include false-positive results, overdiagnosis and anxiety for individuals and their families.
Cannot be used to screen healthy people
According to the study, more than a third of the posts gave the impression that blood tests can also be used to screen healthy people with no signs of cognitive impairment.
This is precisely what the researchers warn against. Current recommendations do not support routine screening of people without symptoms, and according to the University of Sydney, there is no evidence that this group benefits from screening.
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The researchers are therefore calling for clearer and more balanced information about who the blood tests are intended for.
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This article is made and published by Ida-Marie Palm Varbæk, who may have used AI in the preparation.