Medicine and Science from The BMJ
Combating disinformation, and time to stop spinal injections for chronic pain
Feb 26, 2025
Heidi Larson, a professor of anthropology and vaccine communication, joins Martin McKee, a public health expert, and Jane Ballentyne, a chronic pain management specialist. They tackle the urgent issue of health disinformation, exploring its impact on vaccine hesitancy. The conversation pivots to new guidelines against spinal injections for chronic pain, discussing the difficulties this poses for patients and doctors alike. The episode also reflects on progress in combating racism within UK medical schools, emphasizing the need for continued vigilance and change.
31:10
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Quick takeaways
- Disinformation in health undermines public trust and requires collaborative strategies from scientists and communication experts to combat effectively.
- Recent guidelines recommend against spinal injections for chronic pain, challenging both patients and doctors to consider alternative management strategies.
Deep dives
Addressing Health Disinformation
Disinformation poses significant challenges to public health, requiring decisive action from health institutions. Public health agencies should implement surveillance systems to monitor and combat health-related misinformation similarly to how they track infectious disease outbreaks. The motivations behind disinformation can range from generating clickbait to undermining trust in democratic systems, with notable implications for vaccine acceptance. Addressing these issues demands not just the involvement of scientists but also the collaboration of communication experts to effectively counteract harmful narratives.
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