Health Misinformation and Trust
New and NOTEWORTHY
Misinformation Monitor: Political Rhetoric Spreads Misinformation About Fentanyl
This edition of the KFF Health Misinformation Monitor looks at how political rhetoric is driving misinformation about fentanyl and immigration, legal implications of fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills sold on social media, and myths about opioid exposure.
Misinformation Pilot Poll
Most Americans Encounter Health Misinformation and Are Often Uncertain Whether It’s True
This 2023 survey captures the broad reach of health misinformation, with at least four in 10 people saying that they’ve heard each of 10 specific false claims about COVID-19, reproductive health, and gun violence. At the same time, roughly half to three-quarters of the public are uncertain whether each of the 10 false claims are true or not, describing them as either “probably true” or “probably false.” This suggests that even when people don’t believe false claims they hear, it can create uncertainty about complicated public health topics.
