The Rising Epidemic of Misinformation

9-18-2025

We live in a world where we have more access to information than any of our ancestors. This has allowed us to advance as a society in ways once thought unimaginable. Increased access to knowledge has particularly encouraged advancements in the field of medicine. Medical advancements have allowed us to increase our lifespan, lower death rates for many diseases, and even eradicate a disease that has plagued humans through history. Despite these achievements, there has been a recent rise of the amount of medical misinformation that circulates online. Medical misinformation can be as harmful as a disease when it spreads, as it can cause mistrust in many, leading to the re-emergence of once eliminated diseases. 

Why is medical misinformation so harmful?

Medical misinformation is the spread of inaccurate information regarding medical procedures. This doesn't seem harmful in theory, but it can have many adverse effects on public health. 

A common topic of medical misinformation is vaccines. Vaccines have existed since 1796; furthermore, early vaccine practices such as variolation have been documented since the 1500s. However, many do not trust in vaccines, believing that they have harmful side effects or that they are not necessary because of herd immunity or natural remedies. When misinformation about vaccines spreads online, it can influence the vaccine hesitancy of others who are exposed to it. This can be harmful as it can cause a decrease in vaccine rates, which can lead to more outbreaks of diseases like COVID-19, measles, influenza, and more. These diseases can be especially harmful today, as people are more connected than ever before through commute and travel. This means that outbreaks will not be as contained and can spread to many different communities. 

Measles has been re-emerging in the United States. Once eliminated (meaning that there were little to no outbreaks), we have seen nearly 1,500 cases of measles this year, a stark contrast to the 285 cases in 2024. 92% of the cases this year affected those who are unvaccinated, emphasizing the need for vaccinations. 

How prevalent is medical misinformation?

Medical misinformation is extremely prevalent today. Due to the nature of social media, false information tends to go more "viral" than true information. In a study conducted by Saiful Islam, a professor of public health at the school of population health in Sydney, Australia, it was found that ~83% of sampled information online relating to the COVID-19 vaccine was found to be false. 

While medical misinformation spreads through social media, there has recently been an increase in the spread of medical misinformation through government officials. Figures such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr and Joseph Ladapo actively harm the public's health by spreading misinformation about vaccines. 

Robert F. Kennedy Jr and Joseph Ladapo are known vaccine skeptics. Kennedy has recently changed the eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine, making it to where many people now need a prescription to receive the vaccine. As I write this, Ladapo is moving to lift vaccine mandates in Florida schools. He describes vaccine mandates as being "filled with disdain and slavery." 

Combatting medical misinformation is difficult when government officials are a part of the issue. As officials of public health, Kennedy and Ladapo should aim to educate the public and improve general health literacy, not to further spread misinformation and instill fear about vaccines. 

Overall, misinformation can play a large role in public health. It can sway people's perceptions of medical treatments like vaccines, inherently causing an increase in cases of infectious diseases. As misinformation becomes more prevalent through social media and even through government officials, it is important to build our medical literacy. It is unrealistic to educate the public on every conspiracy theory that arises. We must aim to educate on recognizing misinformation tactics, allowing people to decipher between truth and myth. Medical misinformation challenges the progress that we have made as a society, and we must not let it undermine the truth.