Doctors across the U.S. are sounding the alarm: false medical claims aren’t just spreading—they’re making it harder to care for patients.

A new survey shows that 86% of physicians have seen medical misinformation rise significantly over the past five years. From vaccines to supplements to basic infection control, more and more patients are arriving with dangerously inaccurate beliefs—shaped by viral content, conspiracy theories, and even public officials.

This isn’t just frustrating. It’s putting lives at risk.

Physicians say misinformation is damaging trust, disrupting care, and leading to burnout among medical professionals. One doctor recalled a patient canceling a critical surgery because they didn’t believe COVID was real. These kinds of stories are becoming all too common.

And yet—some of the loudest voices spreading false health claims are in positions of power.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has a long history of promoting vaccine conspiracies and medically debunked ideas. He now oversees one of the most important public health agencies in the country. That’s not just ironic—it’s dangerous.

We, the undersigned, are calling on:

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to present and implement a national plan to combat medical misinformation—one that directly addresses the damage being done to patient care.

This plan must include specific steps: improving public health communication, supporting media literacy, giving doctors tools to respond to misinformation in real time, and engaging trusted messengers in local communities.

Congress to hold HHS officials, including RFK Jr., accountable for spreading or tolerating medical disinformation while in office.
Social media platforms to strengthen enforcement of policies on harmful medical lies—especially when promoted by public figures.
 

Misinformation is not a side issue—it’s undermining our entire healthcare system. Doctors deserve to be supported, not second-guessed by a wave of internet myths. And patients deserve truth, not politically motivated confusion.