A Narrative Review of the COVID-19 Infodemic and Censorship in Healthcare

"Abstract

Ideological and financial motivations have undermined science for decades. In this narrative review, we explore how organizations and governments used misinformation, disinformation, censorship, and secrecy to manage the COVID-19 pandemic. Various rationales for employing censorship and secrecy during the COVID-19 pandemic are examined including how organizations and governments create confusion about the risks associated with their products and blame avoidance to shift responsibility and to avoid accountability for their actions. Methods of censorship employed during the COVID-19 pandemic are reviewed, examples are provided, and the consequences of these actions are reviewed. Information included in this review was obtained from scientific papers, government documents, mass media articles, books, and personal accounts of physicians and scientists. We examine how the use of censorship and secrecy created a challenge for scientists, physicians, politicians, and the general public in trying to understand COVID-related topics. Finally, strategies for managing censorship and secrecy during a pandemic are presented...

Discussion

... [T]he evidence presented in this narrative review suggests that lack of access to critical information resulted in the unnecessary and dramatic loss of countless human lives, and possible deaths to follow. Censoring information about the origin of the SARS SARS-CoVCoV-2 virus, the science behind government recommended responses to the pandemic, the safety and efficacy of COVID COVID-19 vaccines, and available treatments for COVID COVID-19 contributed to a loss of trust in healthcare providers and healthcare institutions. Governmental agencies have also delayed the discovery and development of innovative, sustainable, and effective strategies and treatments for future pandemics. The evidence presented in this review suggests we must avoid the trap of rationalizing that censorship and secrecy are justified by the dangers of a pandemic, and instead follow the time time-proven practice of openly exchanging ideas and engaging in constructive dialogue, as this provides the most effective strategy for combating future pandemics."