ABSTRACT
The impact of “fake news”, a.k.a. misinformation and/or disinformation, is prolific in a number of fields and is certainly not a new phenomenon. However, the impact of misinformation within the healthcare sphere is arguably more substantial due to the potential that it harbours to have consequences on people’s health due to false information and the resultant decisions made. This chapter explores “fake news”, its definitions and development throughout history, while providing an overview of misinformation within the realm of health care. The ways in which misinformation is disseminated on both a micro and macro level are outlined along with the concept of intentionality on behalf of both the agent and interpreter of the messages. An overview of the most salient cases of health-related misinformation are explored, and a special section is dedicated to the prevalence of false information regarding vaccinations and anti-vaccination movements. The way in which the digital age and social media propagate misinformation is highlighted throughout and the importance of raising awareness and patient literacy is investigated as a means of mitigation.
