Heiss and colleagues recognise that patient influencers can create supportive spaces for stigmatised groups. Networks of interest or identity based communities such as those for
myalgic encephalitis/chronic fatigue syndrome or other chronic conditions, can empower members through support and validation, making information part of personal and collective identity. However, they also risk amplifying unverified claims or deepening exclusion from mainstream care. Influence is sustained by participatory communities and shared experience rather than a single figure profiting from a following.
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