Round table: How can we counter medical misinformation and restore confidence in public health?

Le Laboratoire de la République is organising a round table discussion on a subject of crucial importance: "How can we counter medical misinformation and restore confidence in public health?" This region, particularly affected by health-related issues, will host this meeting bringing together members of the Laboratory's committees and committed local players.

Since the health crisis of 2020-2021, French people's confidence in institutions, the media and the medical world has been seriously undermined. This growing scepticism towards health policies and healthcare professionals is having a direct impact on the management of public health issues. Yet health remains the number one concern of the public.

Against this backdrop, the aim of this round table is twofold: to analyse the causes of the current lack of trust, to suggest ways of remedying it, and to present a memorandum co-authored by Nathalie Sonnac and David Smadja, two members of the Laboratoire de la République, setting out specific recommendations for regulating the misuse of information.

Nathalie Sonnac, Professor of Information and Communication Sciences at the Université Panthéon-Assas and head of the Laboratoire's Public Space Commission, will shed light on the role of the media and institutions in the fight against disinformation.

David Smadja, Professor of Haematology at the Université Paris-Cité and a practitioner at the Hôpital Georges Pompidou, will share his expertise on the impact of misinformation in the medical field and possible solutions for restoring trust.

Local players, including doctors, elected representatives and representatives of associations, will add their own perspectives to the debate.

Admission is free, but registration is recommended to guarantee a place.