Archive · 29 Jan 2026
Infodemic Erodes Trust, Weakens Public Health Systems: Experts
Experts recently discussed how false information about health, called an infodemic, is causing big problems.
They said that this misinformation makes people trust institutions less and can even make public health systems weaker.
For example, they mentioned that a lot of posts about vaccines and videos about new infections have wrong information.
Celebrities and politicians are often the ones spreading this false information.
The experts suggested that better communication and what they call 'information therapy' can help fix this problem.
They also said that the media can either make things worse or help by spreading the right information.
They emphasized that people should trust their doctors and focus on accurate information rather than what goes viral.
Experts warn that health misinformation, or infodemic, is eroding trust in institutions and weakening public health systems.
Misinformation ranges from 1-51% of vaccine-related posts and 20-30% of YouTube videos on emerging infections.
Celebrities and politicians drive 69% of misinformation engagement, according to experts.
The book 'Perils of Health Infodemic' proposes 'information therapy' and structured health communication as solutions.
Experts urge the media to prioritize accuracy over virality and to act as a counter-myth tool against misinformation.
- Who
- Experts, including former Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, Dr Mahesh Verma, and Dr Sunil K Khetarpal
- What
- Launch of the book 'Perils of Health Infodemic' and discussions on the impact of health misinformation
- When
- January 29
- Where
- New Delhi
- Why
- To raise awareness about the dangers of health misinformation and propose solutions to combat it
- Event
- Book launch of 'Perils of Health Infodemic'
- Author
- Dr Swadeep Srivastava
- Key Speaker
- Former Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan
- Misinformation Statistics
- 1-51% of vaccine-related posts, 20-30% of YouTube videos on emerging infections, 69% of misinformation engagement driven by celebrities and politicians
- Proposed Solution
- Information therapy and structured health communication
- Impact of Misinformation
- Weakens public health systems, delays life-saving interventions, corrodes trust
- Role of Media
- Can amplify myths or act as a counter-myth tool
- AI's Role
- Supports but cannot substitute human judgment and ethics