Debunking Vaccine-related Misinformation: A Rapid Evidence Review

Current research evidence suggests that communications aimed at debunking vaccine-related misinformation should be used judiciously and sparingly. This proposal is broadly consistent with existing policies and practices of many national and local public health policymakers and communicators in the UK, which emphasise responding to false or misleading claims about vaccines by communicating accurate information and facts, and reserving debunking strategies for potential use in a more limited set of circumstances. Debunking false or misleading claims about vaccines clearly can have a beneficial influence on misinformation beliefs and/or attitudes, among at least some people. However, such changes are not necessarily accompanied by positive changes in people’s intentions to be vaccinated. There is also currently high uncertainty about whether debunking messages encourage uptake of vaccines.