IMMUNOLOGY2025™ Conference Recordings-Countering misinformation and building public trust in Science

Countering misinformation and building public trust in Science - K. Viswanath

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The speaker thanks the organizers and praises Research America’s long-standing impact before shifting to misinformation in science. Using vaccines as the central example, the speaker contrasts scientific evidence—vaccines saving millions of lives and sharply reducing diseases like smallpox, polio, and measles—with misinformation that falsely links vaccines to harms such as autism or promotes unproven alternatives. A National Academies report is summarized, defining misinformation as claims inconsistent with the best available scientific evidence, while noting that science can evolve over time. The speaker emphasizes that misinformation affects individuals, communities, public opinion, and trust in science, and that it spreads through information voids, media, social platforms, and unequal access to credible information. Solutions must be systemic: increase accurate information, reduce misinformation’s spread, pre-bunk and debunk false claims, and address communication inequities.

Keywords

misinformation

vaccines

scientific evidence

public trust

science communication