On January 12, French Health Minister Stéphanie Rist unveiled a national strategy to combat health disinformation, responding to the spread of false information since the Covid-19 crisis. The plan includes establishing a dedicated observatory and a reactive infovigilance system. It builds on a report highlighting an information war targeting democracy through health.
Since the Covid-19 crisis, health disinformation has surged with the rise of globalized alternative truths, making public health a target for relentless and multifaceted attacks. A report submitted to Health Minister Stéphanie Rist on January 12 describes this as an "information war context" in which "health is one of the vectors of attack on democracy".
At a press conference, the minister unveiled her national strategy to fight these fake news. "When false information spreads faster than science, it is the most vulnerable who pay the heaviest price. And in the face of this, the State cannot remain silent or settle for reacting on a case-by-case basis," she stated. The approach relies on a steering committee bringing together experts and health institutions.
It extends an initiative launched in spring 2025 by her predecessor, Yannick Neuder. The goal is to proactively counter the flow of disinformation clouding health issues, by setting up a health disinformation observatory and a reactive infovigilance system to respond effectively.