Launch of the WHO Toolkit for tackling misinformation on noncommunicable diseases

As more people get health information online through search engines or social media, the more they are being exposed to misinformation. Wrong perceptions of health risks, such as smoking, alcohol consumption, unhealthy diets or physical inactivity, can lead to numerous life-changing and potentially deadly noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as cancers or diabetes. 

To change this trend, the WHO European Office for Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases is presenting the new ‘Toolkit for tackling misinformation on noncommunicable diseases’. The report points out challenges, gives positive examples, and highlights how we can learn from previous experiences, including the COVID-19 pandemic, to successfully tackle NCD-related misinformation. 

Types of misinformation and effective counter measures

The online launch event will be opened by WHO Regional Director for Europe Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge and gather experts representing different stakeholder groups, including Member States representatives, media industry and WHO staff. The discussions will focus on:  

The new WHO toolkit introduces the concept of a triple entente in the fight against misinformation. This is an all-encompassing methodology in which different levels of governance cooperate and take advantage of each other's potential.