Prepared by a consortium of researchers from the Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Fiocruz and three National Institutes of Science and Technology – Public Communication of Science and Technology (INCT-CPCT), Comparative Studies in Conflict Management (INCT-InEAC) and Informational Disputes and Sovereignty (INCT-DSI) – the guide Misinformation about health: let’s face this problem was launched, aimed at health professionals. The publication aims to prepare workers in the Unified Health System (SUS) to dialogue with users on controversial topics that have the potential to impact the well-being of society.
Through Fiocruz, the guide included the participation of professors from the Postgraduate Program in Health Information and Communication (PPGICS), from the Institute of Scientific and Technological Communication and Information in Health (Icict/Fiocruz), Pâmela Pinto, one of those responsible by content; Kizi Araújo and Igor Sacramento, who carried out the technical review of the material.
The publication draws attention to content that is harmful to the health of the population and circulating in WhatsApp groups and social networks, such as Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok and YouTube. For example: false medicines, campaigns against vaccines, miracle treatments without scientific proof and magical recipes for weight loss. The guide features a curation of media education courses, indicates spaces for checking health news information and suggests a list of reliable sources on the topic.
The material is available in the Arca Institutional Repository and can be downloaded free of charge.
The Arca Repository is the main initiative of Fiocruz’s Open Access Policy, which turns 10 years old in 2024.
