Together Against Misinformation Week: Vitalité Health Network and Public Health take action

Vitalité Health Network and New Brunswick Public Health are proud to participate inScienceUpFirst's Together Against Misinformation Week. This campaign, which runs from November 12 to 17, 2024, aims to raise public awareness of the dangers of misinformation, particularly in the field of health.

Online misinformation about health has devastating consequences. False information circulating on social networks or other platforms can lead people to avoid necessary treatments, refuse vaccines or engage in risky behaviours. This exacerbates confusion, erodes trust in healthcare professionals, and compromises the response to health crises such as pandemics. It's important for everyone to be able to recognize reliable sources, and to seek information from qualified experts.

Together, we can separate fact from fiction when it comes to healthcare," said Dr. France Desrosiers, President and CEO of Vitalité Health Network.

“Misinformation is a real danger to the health of our communities. It’s essential that we provide the public with verified and reliable information so that they can make informed decisions. By taking part in this initiative, we reaffirm our commitment to fighting the spread of misinformation and promoting public health."

Misinformation can lead to ill-informed decision-making in healthcare, which can have serious consequences for individuals and communities. Public Health is committed to informing and equipping the public to better understand health issues and recognize true information," explained Nancy Bastarache, Regional Director of Public Health.

"It's not easy to navigate through this sea of information, identify credible information, evaluate it and then make an informed decision for your health. These skills form the basis of public health.”

ScienceUpFirst and stakeholder groups are hosting a wide range of activities, conferences and events during this special week, all of which can be found on the Together Against Misinformation website.

We must all be vigilant against misinformation and make a point to seek reliable sources of evidence-based information.