By Katie Kennedy CREATION.co’s CEO, Daniel Ghinn, recently interviewed Dr Shaalan Beg for the podcast Better Listening for Better Health on how he uses social media to support his work in oncology. Dr. Beg is a medical oncologist based in the US who specialises in GI and pancreatic cancer. He is also Senior Advisor for Clinical Research for the National Cancer Institute. In the interview, Dr. Beg speaks about his journey with social media and how vital it is for oncologists today.
Top challenges in oncology
Dr. Beg shared that one of the top challenges he is facing within his area of oncology is keeping on top of the unprecedented number of new medicines entering clinics, including keeping updated on their side effects and required training. He explained the drawbacks of more traditional methods of information dissemination, such as congresses and journals. Dr Beg stated it is physically impossible to attend all sessions during a congress and digest the quantity of new information given in such a short period of time. Journals and press releases also contain a lot of information, and it can take 15-20 minutes to find the specific article or information required. He sees social media providing some help with consuming this information by creating a more synthesized approach to content creation. However, there is still work to be done.
Another challenge Dr. Beg addressed was the need for more access to novel and innovative clinical trials. He stated that less than 5% of people with cancer are being treated on a cancer clinical trial while, at the same time, hundreds of clinical trials are running behind because they cannot find patients. Most US clinical trials are in large cancer programs that tend to be urban, serving those who are better insured and run in mostly academic centres despite most of the patients being cared for in the community. This has led to considerable inequities in access to care. Dr Beg feels that social media has helped support the awareness of clinical trials, but this is still a challenge that needs to be addressed further.
Experience on social media
Dr Beg first joined social media to engage patients and those with questions about cancer. Interestingly, he quickly found a more peer-focused audience, which brought its own benefits: networking, learning, building connections and organising like-minded groups. His collaboration with HCPs and others such as non-profit and advocacy organisations on social media has created a library of conversations, specifically around pancreatic cancer, for people to access and reference easily.
Today, Dr. Beg believes oncologists and physicians need to be present on social media platforms. However, the choice of platform is up to the individual, depending on their strengths, weaknesses and personalities. Over the last 5 years, Dr Beg has learned that if there is a vacuum around a topic online, it will be filled by somebody’s voice, and he feels it is better that this vacuum is filled by those with expertise than those spreading disinformation. Dr Beg also encourages peers to use social media to know what others are thinking, as an avenue to share thoughts, and to grow patient confidence.
He sees physicians increasingly engaging in the short video format, which he finds compelling, and a good way to reach physicians or those in medical school with just the right bite-size titbits that will drive their patient care. Dr Beg noted that some HCPs are doing this well, including Eleonora Teplinsky on Instagram/TikTok and Dr Don S Dizon on Instagram. Over the years, they have created a good following, and when new studies come out, HCPs listen to their interpretations and thoughts.
Dr Beg highlights an important lesson from his experience with social media: relying solely on a single platform makes you dependent on it, and if the platform ceases to exist, all your efforts and content could disappear with it. To address this risk, he has observed some healthcare professionals (HCPs) shifting towards platforms like Substack, where they can build their own audience and retain control of their email lists. This approach ensures they can maintain direct contact with their audience, even if the platform changes or shuts down.
Social media saves lives
Dr Beg even goes as far as to say social media has helped him save lives. One story he tells is of a patient who discovered they had a mutation in their cancer. By chance, Dr Beg saw the PI had posted something on social media about a trial taking place in Houston for the same mutation, and he was able to message him directly and get the patient on the trial. Similarly, he has heard of people who, through passive listening to online oncology conversations, have re-evaluated their family history and gone on to get genetic testing. These are great examples of how the use of social media has directly impacted patients.
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Watch here to see the full interview with Dr. Shaalan Beg:
