Health misinformation spreading rapidly across digital platforms has emerged as a serious public health threat, eroding doctor–patient trust faster than any virus, former Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan warned on Tuesday.

Speaking at the launch of Perils of Health Infodemic, a book authored by healthcare communication expert Dr. Swadeep Srivastava, Dr. Harsh Vardhan said that misinformation is undermining public confidence in healthcare systems, delaying diagnoses, and worsening health outcomes.

“Health is built on trust, and infodemics corrode that trust at institutional, policy, and personal levels,” said Dr. Harsh Vardhan, who previously served as Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Science & Technology, and Earth Sciences. “Healthcare today is being fought on two fronts — the medical and the informational.”

Citing global studies, experts at the event highlighted that misinformation accounts for between 1% and 51% of vaccine-related social media posts, while 20–30% of YouTube videos on emerging infections contain inaccuracies. Nearly 69% of engagement with health misinformation is driven by celebrities and political figures, they noted.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan stressed that nearly 90% of health outcomes depend on prevention, but misinformation diverts attention towards reactive and often harmful choices, weakening public health systems and policy compliance. He said the book offers a roadmap to restore scientific temper and credibility in public discourse.

The book introduces the Science–Society–State model, underscoring that public health success depends on alignment between scientific institutions, policymakers, and citizens.

Calling the infodemic one of the biggest threats facing humanity, Prof. (Dr.) Mahesh Verma, Padma Shri awardee and Vice-Chancellor of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, said the media has a critical role to play.

“The media can either amplify myths or become the strongest counter-myth tool,” Prof. Verma said. He advocated for structured health communication based on “Prevent, Protect, Promote,” driven jointly by the media, medical community, and the masses. He also urged doctors to actively engage in public communication rather than remaining silent.

Dr. Sunil K. Khetarpal, Deputy Director General of the Association of Healthcare Providers (India), said misinformation flourishes where communication fails. “Communication failure — not medical failure — is the leading cause of patient dissatisfaction,” he said, emphasizing that “information therapy” should be considered a patient’s right.

Dr. Khetarpal noted that empathetic listening, even for 40 seconds, can significantly reduce patient anxiety. While acknowledging the role of technology, he cautioned that artificial intelligence cannot replace human judgment, ethics, or trust. “Accuracy must be prioritised over virality,” he said.

Author Dr. Swadeep Srivastava described the book as both a diagnosis and a prescription. “COVID-19 exposed how fake news, half-truths, and algorithm-driven content can cause real-world harm,” he said. “Healthcare must go beyond treatment to education, awareness, and trust-building.”

Perils of Health Infodemic offers practical strategies for healthcare professionals, policymakers, media practitioners, and citizens to counter misinformation through digital hygiene, media literacy, responsible communication, and collective accountability. The book introduces frameworks such as the 3 Ps, 3 Ms, and 4 Ss — Samvaad (dialogue), Saksharta (literacy), Social Media responsibility, and Speaking up.

The speakers unanimously agreed that while science can defeat viruses, only truthful and responsible communication can defeat the infodemic.