6.1 INFORMATION INTEGRITY
“ False claims about vaccines, medicines, reproductive health or environmental risks cost lives, deepen inequality and are often weaponised to polarise societies”
polarising societies, undermining science and weakening democratic debate. A BROADER THREAT Disinformation is not the only fracture line. Climate change is already claiming lives. Pandemics expose systemic weaknesses. And as seen in Gaza, health services are targeted in conflicts. In this environment, health is a measure of democratic resilience – and when it is weakened, trust in both health systems and public institutions suffers. Too often, the communities hit hardest by disinformation are those already facing barriers to care – whether through poverty, geography or discrimination. Closing these gaps is a democratic necessity. There is no room for double standards – not when some enjoy world-class health care while others are left behind. Perhaps the fastest-moving challenge comes from emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. AI holds enormous potential for diagnosis, treatment and prevention. Yet it also carries serious ethical risks – from bias in healthcare algorithms to the mass spread of AI-generated health disinformation, with direct implications for human rights and dignity. A CONVENTION ON DISINFORMATION Europe cannot surrender the public sphere to algorithms. That is why I have called for a new Council of Europe Convention on Disinformation and Foreign Influence – to draw clear boundaries between freedom of expression and the imperative for truth, and between legitimate critique and deliberate destabilisation. A health dimension must be integral to this work. False claims about vaccines, medicines, reproductive health or environmental risks cost lives, deepen inequality and are often weaponised to polarise societies. Addressing health disinformation at this level would protect public health, and the democratic systems it sustains.
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The MEDICRIME Convention – the first binding international instrument in the criminal law field on the counterfeiting of medical products and similar crimes involving threats to public health – helps states prevent, detect and punish the spread of falsified medicines and fraudulent treatments, including those sold online. The Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine – the only international legally binding instrument on the protection of human rights in the biomedical field – contributes to building healthcare systems that are effective, high-quality, equitable and accessible for all. The European Court of Human Rights has improved the situation of vulnerable groups – from women subjected to forced sterilisation to people with mental health issues placed in institutions without their consent. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Council of Europe supported governments in addressing erroneous and misleading information about vaccines, ensuring the public could access accurate information in timely and accessible ways. Because the natural environment significantly affects health, our conventions protect biodiversity and fight environmental degradation, safeguarding both physical and mental well-being.
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ALAIN BERSET Alain Berset became secretary gen- eral of the Council of Europe in Sep- tember 2024. He was an elected min- ister in the Swiss government between 2012 and 2023 and held several ministerial positions including minis- ter for public health throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. He also served twice as president of the Swiss Con- federation. Prior to entering elected politics in 2003, he held academic roles in economics at the University of Neuchâtel and the Hamburg Insti- tute of International Economics and worked as an independent commu- nications and strategy consultant for associations, companies and non-
These are only some examples of how the Council of Europe turns values into action across our 46 member states. FORWARD TOGETHER Health in the age of disinformation is a test of our democratic values. In a fractured world, protecting health means protecting truth. And without truth, democracy itself is at risk. The Council of Europe will continue to draw on its unique legal standards, expertise and institutional authority to meet this challenge – not as a single-issue fight, but as part of a broader mission to protect human dignity in all its forms. By protecting health together, we strengthen the very fabric of democracy – in Europe and beyond. ▪
FROM PRINCIPLES TO ACTION At the Council of Europe, we act on multiple fronts: •
The European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines and Health Care ensures the quality and safety of medicines through international standards and supports countries in pharmaceutical care, substances of human origin and consumer health.
governmental organisations. X-TWITTER @alain_berset | @coe coe.int
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Health: A Political Choice – The Future of Health in a Fractured World
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