INFORMATION INTEGRITY 6.3
Belief in science has eroded, but we can rebuild it
Aviva Philipp-Muller, Beedie School of Business, Simon Fraser University
Public trust in science is fraying and, with it, the uptake of life-saving measures like vaccines. To rebuild trust, public health messaging must be proactive in countering disinformation and portraying scientists as compassionate and reliable experts I n the winter of 2025, measles, a disease that had instead understand why there is such widespread anti-science sentiment, so that we can develop the means to address it and improve the health of countless individuals and communities. Some of the most prominent reasons for anti-science sentiment include lack of trust in scientists and other institutions, deeply entrenched
been largely eliminated in North America for several decades, started to make a resurgence. Despite the wide availability of a safe, effective and well-tolerated vaccine, millions of people chose not to vaccinate their children against this highly contagious and deadly disease. Why might this be? After all, the science is incredibly clear. Surely if we just explain the logic to people, they will be eager to get themselves and their children vaccinated. The problem with this solution is that the public has lost trust in scientists, with many people seeing them as tools of the elite, as part of a hated group or even as bumbling, incompetent fools. And so, convincing billions of people to follow public health recommendations is more complicated than simply conveying scientific findings. We must
values and beliefs that conflict with scientific findings, and a view that particular domains are incompatible with science. All these can lead to harmful societal consequences, such as individuals rejecting public health guidelines – refusing to get vaccinated and ignoring mask mandates; not engaging with preventive health measures such as wearing sunscreen or condoms or getting cancer screenings; and even spreading misinformation about the use of alternative treatments that range from ineffective to dangerous.
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Health: A Political Choice – The Future of Health in a Fractured World
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