2024-04-12 08:45:02
Misinformation in health is a problem that has a direct impact on the population, which can lead to distrust of health professionals and the media. For this reason, six information entities have joined forces to fight against it and highlight the importance of health informants.
From left to right: Megan Miller (Internews), Fabiola Torres (Salud con Lupa), Ljubica Latinovic (OMS), Graziella Almendral (ANIS) and Lucas Sánchez (AEC). Image courtesy of ANIS.
Health misinformation, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, is increasing the risk of illness, death and lack of adherence to treatments. It is also influencing the delay in taking measures based on scientific evidence to prepare for future global health threats.
At the same time, health misinformation is causing distrust among the population in science and the scientific method, in health professionals, official institutions, and even in the media. At the same time, the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) is causing a challenge in the creation of quality health content and can aggravate the infodemic.
The alliance
For this reason, various entities from around the world have joined forces against disinformation in a joint manifesto, called “Manifesto to combat health misinformation”. An agreement reached in I International Meeting of Health Informants held at the San Cecilio Clinical University Hospital of Granada.
The organizations that make up the alliance are:
- Internews (United States).
- Internews Health Journalism Network (United States).
- Health with Lupa (Peru).
- Spanish Association of Scientific Communication (Spain).
- National Association of Biotechnology Communicators (Spain).
- National Association of Health Informants (Spain).
EFE/Kai Försterling
WHO support
“We have had technical help from the World Health Organization. So, just as the WHO is doing it, the rest of the organizations must get involved. We go to schools, media outlets, to all types of journalists’ associations related to health…”, indicates Graziella Almendral, president of ANIS.
World Health Organization (OMS), in addition to showing support for the manifesto, makes a clear distinction between two terms that are often confused: disinformation and misinformation (in English misinformation y misinformation).
Misinformation is false information that is spread without the intention of misleading anyone. Those who share it may believe it to be true. However, misinformation is created or spread with full knowledge of its falsehood with the intent to deceive or cause harm.
“We do not make this distinction in Spanish, but internationally it is very clear. One thing is misinformation that is intentional in some way and misinformation is something in which mistakes have been made. It is true that both have the same impact on health , so we have to face both from the same level,” explains Graziella Almendral.
The manifesto of health misinformation
The manifesto, which is intended for citizens, the media (especially international and national journalists and health informants, journalists’ associations and communication offices), educational institutions and providers of health-related information, Its objective is the fight against health misinformation.
They indicate that they have reached the following agreements:
- Creation of an international alliance of both journalists and health informants against misinformation in this area. This alliance will include a working committee to join forces with entities from around the world that already work in this field.
- Defend and advocate for the training and specialization of health journalists and reporters at undergraduate and graduate levels and the professionalization of communicators who work in the media.
- Raise awareness among health authorities so that they recognize misinformation as a public health problem and carry out actions to address it.
Misinformation in health can generate distrust in health authorities. EFE/ESTEBAN BIBA
Informing on health
“A good trained health journalist stops misinformation that he knows how to filter because he knows its origin, the accredited sources… It is very rare for a health journalist to spread misinformation. In addition to this, we must educate the population so that they are more trained in science, scientific dissemination and that requires quality information,” indicates the president of ANIS.
“Another thing that we have been denouncing since ANIS It is the very serious problem that we health informants have. There are very few spaces to work. Many of these places, furthermore, do not offer the working conditions that are needed to do their job well and we need the work of health informants,” adds the journalist specialized in health and health.
working committee
Likewise, the signatory entities emphasize their commitment to the creation of a working committee that meets several objectives:
Graziella Almendral, president of the National Association of Health Informants (ANIS). Photo provided by ANIS.
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