As influenza cases continue to rise across the country, the federal government is urging Canadians to be more cautious about where they get their health information.
In an interview with the Canadian Press in late 2025, Federal Health Minister Marjorie Michel stated that Canada can no longer rely on the United States as a primary source of public health guidance, pointing to political instability and the growing spread of misinformation south of the border.
That warning comes amid increasingly controversial health messaging in the United States. Under President Donald Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., oversight of major federal health agencies has drawn sharp backlash from federal health workers, including an open letter condemning what it described as “dangerous and deceitful” statements on health.
In November, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed its website to contradict the scientific consensus that vaccines don’t cause autism, leading to widespread criticism from public health experts and further eroding confidence in U.S. health guidance.
Michel emphasized the need for Canada to strengthen its own health communication systems and reduce reliance on external sources that may not reflect Canadian data or public health priorities. She identified misinformation, particularly on social media, as a key factor eroding public trust and making it difficult for Canadians to distinguish between evidence-based guidance and opinion or political messaging.
Michel noted this pandemic-era misinformation contributed to lower COVID-19 vaccination rates and, in turn, more severe outbreaks. A U.S.-based study estimated that for every one percentage-point reduction in vaccine hesitancy, up to 45 COVID-19 deaths per million people could have been prevented.
However, the effects of health misinformation have continued well into the post-pandemic period. Earlier this fall, the Pan American Health Organization revoked Canada’s measles-free status, held since ’98, after outbreaks persisted across several provinces for more than a year. Peter Hotez, an American virologist and co-nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize for his work on a low-cost COVID-19 vaccine, has linked the resurgence to declining routine vaccination rates caused by what he has described as an “anti-public-health force” of vaccine misinformation.
Research suggests misinformation is widespread—and increasingly problematic. A January 2025 report from the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) found that nearly half of Canadians are “highly susceptible” to health misinformation. 31 per cent of respondents reported following health information found online instead of seeking medical care, and an additional 23 per cent experienced a negative health outcome after acting on online health advice. The CMA described misinformation as a “growing issue” with consequences for both individuals and the healthcare system.
Queen’s students aren’t immune to this growing public health threat. According to a 2022 study, most young adults obtain health information on social media, where credible sources and misinformation circulate side by side and are increasingly difficult to distinguish. In a dense campus environment, individual choices, such as whether to stay home when sick or get vaccinated, can quickly affect others.
As misinformation continues to affect public health long after the height of the pandemic, the minister’s message is straightforward: Canadians need reliable sources of health information they can trust.
The CMA recommends prioritizing reputable government websites that follow rigorous, evidence-based standards, including the Public Health Agency of Canada, Health Canada, and provincial and regional public health agencies.
Tags
federal government, public health, Vaccination
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