Restoring public confidence in science, experts advocate stronger collaboration among journalists, stakeholders

Professor Addo with other dignitaries after the programme

Some scientists have called for stronger collaboration among journalists, policymakers and communities to combat the growing spread of false and misleading health information in order to restore public confidence in science.

They warned that health misinformation spreading rapidly on social media could threaten public health, undermine vaccination efforts, as well as fuel stigma against people living with diseases.

The scientists from Ghana and Germany made the call at a science lecture organised by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) in Accra last Thursday.

It was on the theme: “Fact or fiction? Health science and misinformation in the digital world.”

In a speech read on his behalf, the German Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Frederik Landshöft, said reliable scientific information was critical to informed decision-making and the development of healthier and more resilient societies.

He said while social media had made scientific information more accessible, it had also created an avenue for false claims to spread rapidly.

Mr Landshöft called for responsible science communication, stronger public confidence in scientific evidence and increased international collaboration.

He said universities and research institutions had a responsibility not only to generate knowledge and train future generations but also to make scientific findings accessible, understandable and relevant to everyday life.

He highlighted Ghana-Germany research partnerships in global health and pandemic prevention, saying international cooperation was necessary to tackle health challenges that crossed national borders.

A keynote speaker, Professor Marylyn Addo, Director of the Institute of Infection Research and Vaccine Development at the University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany, said social media and artificial intelligence had created new challenges for scientific communication.

She said digital platforms often rewarded sensational content designed to provoke anger and frustration, allowing misleading health claims to spread widely.

Prof. Addo said the situation was worsened by financial incentives for publishers of sensational content, while artificial intelligence could make it easier to create and distribute fabricated information.

However, she said AI could also be deployed to detect and counter misinformation.

Prof. Addo further expressed concern about attacks on researchers and scientific institutions, saying such developments could weaken public confidence in science.

Using vaccination as an example, she said vaccines had made a major contribution to global health, citing estimates that immunisation had saved 154 million lives since the launch of the World Health Organisation’s Expanded Programme on Immunisation in 1974.

She said myths linking vaccines to infertility, autism and microchips continued to undermine public confidence despite scientific evidence supporting their effectiveness.

Prof. Addo urged researchers to listen to communities, acknowledge uncertainties and communicate their findings in simple and accessible language.

She stressed that trust in science had to be earned through transparency, integrity and meaningful engagement with the public.

On her part, Professor Lydia Mosi of the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens at the University of Ghana said misinformation about tuberculosis, malaria, genetic conditions and cancer often reinforced stigma and delayed treatment.

She said beliefs that some diseases were caused by witchcraft could expose affected persons to discrimination and isolation instead of encouraging them to seek appropriate medical care.

Prof. Mosi cited community engagement initiatives, including educational drama translated into more than 15 Ghanaian languages, as effective ways of explaining genetic conditions and challenging misconceptions.

She also highlighted outreach programmes that took researchers into communities and schools to explain scientific findings, promote disease awareness and encourage people to seek medical attention promptly.

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