This session explored the real-world impact of medical misinformation and how media literacy can help citizens, especially vulnerable groups, navigate health narratives more critically. It featured successful examples of collaboration between public health and media literacy actors, and other case studies. The session offered practical tools for educators, librarians, NGOs, and civil society to counter pseudoscience, conspiracy narratives and support informed health communication.
Target group: Public health communicators, media literacy educators, civil society actors, media professionals, researchers, policy makers, fact-checkers, communication experts, legislators, broadcasters, public authorities, and private sector stakeholders.
Wim Vanobberghen, project lead VRT at BENEDMO, Belgium & Luc Van Bakel, Editor-in-Chief in investigative journalism, VRT, Belgium
Gabrielle Trottmann, Attachée de presse et chargée des contenus pour lutter contre la désinformation en santé, INSERM (French National Institute of Health and Medical Research), France
You can find the presentation HERE.
Kristine Stifjell, Researcher / Doctoral Research Fellow, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Norway
Dr. Rut Gómez Sobrino, Associate Professor, Universidad Pontificia Comillas, Spain.
Recording 🎥
External Links 🔗
Initiative VRT: https://www.vrtinternational.com/innovation/projects/BENEDMO
Article on the VRT Initiative: https://www.vrtinternational.com/news/fighting-medical-disinformation-where-it-spreads-a-cross-border
European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO): https://edmo.eu/
BENEDMO: https://benedmo.eu/ / https://benedmo.eu/2025/04/10/benedmo-strijdt-tegen-medische-desinformatie-bij-jongeren-in-vlaanderen-en-nederland/ / https://benedmo.eu/2025/05/30/medische-desinformatie-hoe-weerbaar-zijn-we/ / https://www.publicmediaalliance.org/fighting-medical-disinformation-where-it-spreads-a-cross-border-collaboration/
French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM): https://www.inserm.fr/en/home/
COMSALUD Project website: https://www.disinformation.es/health-comunication
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