This is a guest opinion column

The microbiology unit during my first year of medical school, where we explored viruses, bacteria, antibiotics, and vaccines in great depth, was one of my favorites. I’ve always been fascinated by epidemiology and infectious disease, and I feel fortunate to be training in an era when vaccines have eradicated or controlled many once-deadly childhood illnesses.

Lately though, I find myself wondering if I’ll have to learn about these diseases not from textbooks, but from my patients, because misinformation is going viral.

Measles outbreaks are once again spreading across the United States, a disease long considered nearly eradicated. While public health officials point to declining vaccination rates, the real battleground isn’t just in schools or clinics. It’s on social media. As a medical student pursuing pediatrics, I’ve seen firsthand how social media misinformation is reshaping the way families think about childhood health and the growing mistrust that follows pediatricians into the exam room.

TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and X have quietly become the most influential health educators for American families. “Crunchy” influencers demonize evidence-based care, often under the guise of empowerment or “doing your own research.” A 2024 Stanford study found that 49% of TikTok health videos were inaccurate, and 14% were potentially harmful. Misinformation, particularly about vaccines, is being algorithmically amplified and monetized.

The reach is staggering. False claims that the measles outbreak was caused by the vaccine, promoted by RFK Jr.’s Children’s Health Defense, reached more than 250,000 viewers. Anti-vaccine TikToks falsely linking immunizations to autism or chronic illness routinely rack up millions of views. A 2024 Kaiser Family Foundation poll showed that over half of U.S. adults have encountered vaccine misinformation online, and one in four parents report it influenced their decision to delay or avoid vaccines.

Some of the most dangerous messaging cites alarming and misleading statistics about “rising childhood cancer” or autoimmune diseases in association with vaccinations, rarely acknowledging that increased detection and improved diagnostics account for much of the uptick. Instead of celebrating medical progress, this rhetoric casts doubt on the entire system.

This is no longer a fringe issue, we are already seeing the negative effects. Overall trust for medicine has eroded, pediatricians report more pushback against routine vaccines, 2 children lost their lives from a vaccine-preventable illness, and we’ve seen the worst flu season to date. It is important to note that poor vaccine uptake does not solely affect children though, it can put your parents and other loved ones in danger. The elderly and immunocompromised are also at increased risk of harmful pathogens.

In Alabama, where I am attending medical school, this problem is compounded by opposing legislative headwinds. MMR coverage among kindergartners is declining, now below the 95% herd immunity threshold. Despite this, state lawmakers introduced House Bill 367, which would prohibit state and local agencies from using public funds to promote vaccines, a move that would further silence pediatricians in a time of growing misinformation.

We must start treating this like the public health crisis it is.

First, healthcare professionals must engage families early- not to lecture, but to connect. We must ask what they’ve seen online and allow them to feel heard and understood without judgement. At the end of the day, parents and pediatricians both want the same thing: a healthy child. It’s understandable, even commendable, that parents want to know exactly what’s going into their child’s body. That instinct reflects love and vigilance. But that commitment deserves to be matched with information from trusted, evidence-based sources like HealthyChildren.org, not viral videos or fear-based influencers. Working together.

Second, we need stronger policy. The now-defunct Health Misinformation Act would have removed legal protections for platforms that amplified false health claims during public health emergencies, a bold but necessary step. In its absence, the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) offers a start, requiring platforms to reduce harm to minors, including exposure to health misinformation. But we must go further and actively oppose harmful policies like HB 367 that obstruct lifesaving vaccine advocacy.

This moment calls for action. Call your representatives. Support KOSA. Speak out against HB 367. Because public health isn’t just under attack, it’s going viral.

Nicole K. Reh is an MD candidate (2026) at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and looking to pursue a career in pediatrics.