A GP has raised the alarm over a US actor’s viral colonoscopy video, warning it could confuse Australian patients because it promotes a lower screening age and ignores the use of FOBT.

In the video, which has 1.1 million views, comedy film star Ryan Reynolds says he recently turned 45 and “part of being this age is getting a colonoscopy”.

He then shares footage of himself in hospital before and after his procedure.

His surgeon, Dr Jonathan LaPook, is shown telling the actor he had found an “extremely subtle polyp” and that the colonoscopy was “potentially life-saving”.