How to spot health misinformation that's fueling rise in disease outbreaks

Outbreaks of measles, meningitis and RSV have surged across the U.S. as vaccination rates continue to decline. The spike in these vaccine-preventable diseases underscores the real, and sometimes deadly, consequences of public health misinformation and the urgent need to address it before it spreads further.

Confronting misinformation at this scale requires more than defensively debunking each inaccurate claim as it comes up. A more durable approach is to equip people with the tools to recognize misleading arguments before they take hold. This approach, called “pre-bunking,” helps identify common patterns used to spread misleading claims.

To understand why this approach matters, it helps to understand how misinformation — and sometimes deliberately misleading disinformation — works.

Part of the challenge is misleading health information is often persuasive by design. It draws on familiar ways of thinking: mental shortcuts that can make claims feel reasonable and credible, even when they are not supported by evidence. Many people encounter and internalize these claims online well before speaking with a health care provider or hearing from a public health professional.

One of the most common misinformation tactics is the “appeal to nature,” the assumption that something is inherently safer or better simply because it is described as natural. Yet nature includes both beneficial and harmful elements. Consider that contagious viruses, toxic arsenic and poisonous plants are natural, but that doesn’t mean they are good for you.

By contrast, vaccines are the result of rigorous scientific innovation; many have been used for decades and are responsible for saving millions of lives. The relevant question is not whether something is “natural” but whether it is proven to be safe and effective.

Another common tactic presents a false choice. Complex public health issues are framed as “either-or-decisions." Suggesting that children need either vaccines or a healthy diet is one example of this. In reality, health protection is not a single intervention but a combination of complementary strategies. As a father myself, both vaccines and a balanced diet are high on my priority list when I think of ways to keep my kids healthy.

In other cases, arguments shift attention from evidence altogether and toward undermining trust, questioning the motives of scientists or invoking generalized concerns about industry influence. While scrutiny and accountability are important, these arguments often distract from the central question: What does the evidence show?

Some claims rely on an appeal to “common sense,” implying that complex health challenges must have simple explanations. But public health requires careful study, large datasets and sustained analysis to understand patterns and determine what works.

At a time when misinformation can spread as quickly as a virus, being able to evaluate claims and recognize misinformation is critical. Even a brief pause can make a meaningful difference. Before accepting or sharing a health claim, it is worth asking a few basic questions: What is the source? Is there credible evidence? Does the argument rely on a familiar shortcut or simplicity in reasoning rather than verifiable facts?

Both our individual and community health rely on our ability to tell the difference between what feels true and what is rooted in scientific evidence. By strengthening our pre-bunking skills, we can better label misinformation and stop its spread before it does more harm.

In my role at the Cook County Department of Public Health, I see the consequences of misinformation firsthand, where declining vaccination rates have left more than 13,000 children in suburban Cook County unprotected against measles. Sadly, that’s double the number from a decade ago.

Reversing this trend is a top priority. By strengthening public trust, promoting accurate information and supporting families in making informed decisions based on facts, we strive to protect residents from diseases we already have the tools to stop.

Dr. Kiran Joshi is chief operating officer of the Cook County Department of Public Health.