• The fallout of fake news in infection prevention, and why context matters

      Date: February 14th, 2019

      Time: 10:30 am PST

      Speaker: Prof. Didier Pittet, University of Geneva Hospitals, and Dr. Pierre Parneix, Hôpital Pellegrin, CHU de Bordeaux, France

      Objectives:

      Although misinformation has always existed, the scope and speed at which fake news can reach even the most remote corners of the globe is a modern phenomenon. In the field of infection prevention and control we like to believe that our dedication to the field and the process of conducting science protects us from the ravages of ‘bad buzz’ and fake news. This misconception leads medical professionals to underestimate the negative effects of misinformation on public health. This teleclass aim is to examine how information gets distorted and amplified between the medical community and the public, and outline some of the issues that deserve further attention. It will look at a number of case studies which show that even one badly conducted study can have a severe negative impact on public health. 

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