With @DrAlexis_MD: Why Autoimmune Patients Are Prime Targets for Online Misinformation

In this episode of I Did My Own Research, Dr. Fran sits down with her friend Dr. Alexis Barbut, a board-certified rheumatologist who specializes in lupus and reproductive rheumatology. The two share how they met (a persistent DM and a coffee date that turned into a real friendship) and discuss Dr. Alexis’s non-traditional path to medicine, from a history degree to hospitalist work to returning for a rheumatology fellowship. Dr. Alexis explains what rheumatologists actually do, how biologics work, and why inpatient consults for conditions like new lupus diagnoses and vasculitis can be so complex. They also dig into reproductive rheumatology and why preconception counseling matters for patients with autoimmune disease who want to become pregnant.

The conversation also tackles the misinformation that thrives online around autoimmune conditions, and why patients with these diseases are such a vulnerable audience. Dr. Alexis and Dr. Fran break down red flags to watch for, including promises of a “cure,” oversimplified advice, and claims that doctors are hiding something. They also clear up common questions about methotrexate and off-label medication use. The episode wraps with a lighthearted rapid-fire round, a look at life as a physician couple (Dr. Alexis is married to Gal, the baby doc), and a conversation about the value of having an equal partner while balancing medicine, motherhood, and content creation.

Dr. Alexis's social media: @DrAlexis_MD

Dr. Fran's social media: @PagingDrFran