HHS and the surgeon general said they are launching a request for information from researchers, healthcare workers, community organizations and tech platforms to understand how misinformation has affected the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Surgeon general Vivek Murthy, MD, is calling for research, data and personal experiences on the effects of health misinformation in an attempt to deepen knowledge on the matter, according to a March 3 notice on the HHS website.
"The purpose of this RFI is to understand the impact of COVID-19 misinformation on healthcare infrastructure during the pandemic, including quality of care, health decisions, cost and worker morale and safety; the unique role that technology platforms play in the societal response to the COVID-19 pandemic; and implications for future public health emergencies," read a statement from the National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan.
The request for information will ask about the effect of misinformation on healthcare, the relationship between health misinformation and technology platforms and the community effect of health misinformation, according to the HHS website.