ACP's commitment to address misinformation and disinformation

ACP is committed to stopping and preventing the spread of disinformation and misinformation. We vigorously support the use of science and scientific expertise, based on the best available evidence, and remain concerned about the spread of both disinformation and misinformation on social media, news channels, and other digital channels. ACP continues to provide evidence-based scientific information regarding COVID-19 and related vaccines and treatments, as well as other medical topics. The College's efforts range from publishing evidence-based scientific content, creating educational materials, and issuing public statements to working collaboratively with other organizations on initiatives to mitigate the spread of dis- and misinformation. ACP's recent efforts include:

• Speaking out about misinformation on COVID-19 as a serious threat to public health.
• Publishing original, evidence-based scientific content for internal medicine physicians in Annals of Internal Medicine on a weekly basis. Annals of Internal Medicine and Annals of Internal Medicine: Clinical Cases combined to publish over 500 articles and case reports related to COVID-19. Annals of Internal Medicine also offers a robust collection of commentaries, essays, podcasts, and graphic narratives related to COVID-19.
• Hosting a series of forums for members on important clinical and public health topics relevant to daily practice, which began in the early days of the pandemic and continue now.
• Developing Rapid Living Practice Points and Clinical Guidelines and recommendations, based on the work of ACP's Scientific Medical Policy and Clinical Guidelines Committees, to provide timely clinical advice, address key clinical questions, and help clinicians provide the best health care possible based on the best available evidence.
• Partnering with YouTube to produce meaningful video content to address the issue of misinformation and to improve public education and perception around COVID-19 by providing health information from a trusted physician voice. ACP's two-video series “Ask Your Internist” is patient-facing and features physicians answering the public's top vaccine-related questions. “Physician to Physician Conversations” features practical approaches to address vaccine and health misinformation with patients, specifically on the COVID-19 virus, vaccination, and treatment.
• Serving on the advisory committee for an initiative by the Council of Medical Specialty Societies, National Academy of Medicine, and World Health Organization to identify credible sources of health information that could be used by social media companies. Additionally, ACP is working with a broad array of associations, boards, and societies on several different initiatives to mitigate medical misinformation.
• Developing the COVID-19 Resource Center, which was activated in April 2020 and provided real-time, up-to-date information and comprehensive resources during the pandemic. Resources included the COVID-19: An ACP Physician's Guide + Resources, which was updated until June 11, 2021, and provided guidance in the realms of clinical, public, and ethical policy, as well as other educational materials concerning COVID-19 and its vaccines and related issues.

ACP continues to prioritize addressing disinformation and misinformation in health care and will look for additional tangible ways to combat this serious threat to public health.