During the COVID-19 pandemic, people have been exposed to a great deal of information: news, public health guidance, fact sheets, infographics, research, opinions, rumors, myths, falsehoods, and more. The World Health Organization and the United Nations have characterized this unprecedented spread of information as an “infodemic.”

Although health misinformation is not a recent phenomenon, in recent years it has spread at unprecedented speed and scale, especially online. But, together, we have the power to build a healthier information environment where we make more informed decisions about our health and the health of our loved ones and communities.

Preventing and addressing health misinformation is a major priority for the Surgeon General. In a new Surgeon General’s Advisory, available below, the Surgeon General is warning the American public about the urgent threat of health misinformation and calling for a whole-of-society approach to address health misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Contents

• [Foreword]
• BACKGROUND
• WE CAN TAKE ACTION
  • WHAT INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES CAN DO
  • WHAT EDUCATORS AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS CAN DO
  • WHAT HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS CAN DO
  • WHAT JOURNALISTS AND MEDIA ORGANIZATIONS CAN DO
  • WHAT TECHNOLOGY PLATFORMS CAN DO
  • WHAT RESEARCHERS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS CAN DO
  • WHAT FUNDERS AND FOUNDATIONS CAN DO
  • WHAT GOVERNMENTS CAN DO
• WHERE WE GO FROM HERE
• References

ABOUT THE ADVISORY

A Surgeon General’s Advisory is a public statement that calls the American people’s attention to a public health issue and provides recommendations for how that issue should be addressed. Advisories are reserved for significant public health challenges that need the American people’s immediate awareness. For additional background, visit SurgeonGeneral​.gov.