Communicating science in a misinformed era: innovative strategies for global physicians

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Source: BMJ

Original: http://www.bmj.com/content/392/bmj.s543.short?rss=1...

Published: 2026-03-25T09:06:13-07:00

Yamey and Shaffer discuss the spread of disinformation by Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Vaccination skepticism in the US is long-standing, but revisions to the childhood vaccination schedule and changes in vaccination policy risk increasing public confusion and reinforcing discredited vaccine safety claims. Evidence-based advice remains essential. Clinicians need innovative communication strategies to restore confidence in routine childhood vaccinations to prevent vaccine-preventable diseases and restore population-level immunity. They can do this by pairing accurate epidemiological data with human stories and turning statistics into tangible results. An example is an unidentified clinical presentation of a young adult with swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, and jaundice, where advanced cirrhosis from chronic hepatitis B required liver transplantation, which could have been prevented by early vaccination. Physicians can further use visual aids depicting the lifetime risks of vaccine-preventable diseases.