Science Based Medicine What we have seen is the widespread propagation of misinformation and disinformation. And the reason it has taken root is because there was an information vacuum. I come back to our role as physicians. It is critical that we fill that vacuum because if we don’t, others will.
This quote is absolutely infuriating and saddening in 2023, especially coming from Dr. Ashish Jha. While I am glad that one of the country’s top public health officials finally recognizes the deadly role of medical disinformation, why did it take so long, especially after the former director of NIH Dr. Francis Collins repeatedly expressed his regrets about the delayed recognition of this problem? As a critical care physician who spent over three years fighting COVID-19 in intensive care units nationwide and combating disinformation, I have acquired experience in both fields. I would like to share some thoughts about the latter here.
Dr. Jha is correct that an information vacuum existed at the pandemic’s start. He is also right that this vacuum created opportunities for those who peddle falsehoods. However, it is so disheartening for him to blame physicians for not doing enough to fill up this information vacuum. Especially since so many honest and truthful physicians did speak up despite several institutions and workplaces actively discouraging discussing the pandemic publicly. Institutions were unwilling to support their physicians and often capitulated to demands for retribution driven by contrarian anti-vaccine influencers. It is hard not to ask back: “But what have you done to organize the fight against disinformation and anti-science?” Sadly, I think I know the answer.