Dear friends,

As a former World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, medical doctor and global health advocate, I have long championed immunisation as a vital tool for disease prevention and public health. This theme is also central to the work of The Elders, with pandemics being one of our main programme areas.

Later this month World Immunisation Week will be observed, an initiative led by the WHO to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages from preventable diseases.

Five years on from the outbreak of COVID-19, vaccines remain a vital element of pandemic preparedness, prevention and response strategies. We have seen countless examples, from the eradication of smallpox to the dramatic reduction of polio and measles, that have demonstrated the transformative power of vaccines. Most recently, the COVID-19 vaccine – developed at record speed - significantly accelerated a return to normality after cycles of lockdowns, and allowed countries to reopen their borders.

However, the inequitable distribution of these crucial vaccines between rich and poor countries had a damaging impact on both public health and trust. I am deeply concerned that the recent decision by the new US Administration to end its funding of the global vaccine alliance GAVI will deepen these inequities and put lives at risk.

Whilst Director-General of the WHO, I saw first-hand the need for global cooperation and trust in science to combat infectious diseases. However, we are now living in an age of disinformation, where false narratives about vaccines are undermining trust in science and putting lives at risk.

We saw this most prominently during the COVID-19 pandemic, where large volumes of inaccurate information circulated on social media. This was often with malign intent, making false claims and promoting conspiracy theories about vaccine safety, efficacy, ingredients and purpose.

Coined by the WHO as an infodemic, the impacts of the spread of disinformation are continuing to have a tangible impact on vaccine uptake and overall trust in science and healthcare systems. Vaccine hesitancy is a significant contributor to a fall in childhood immunisation rates across the globe, with 2020-2022 seeing the largest sustained decline in childhood vaccinations in 30 years, causing what UNICEF refers to as a red alert for global children’s health outcomes.

These vaccination rates have struggled to recover post-COVID-19, leaving millions of children vulnerable to preventable diseases. The recent measles outbreak in Texas and neighbouring states is just one example, caused by low vaccine uptake and fuelled by irresponsible rhetoric by some members of the new US Administration about vaccine safety and effectiveness.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, it was concerning to see scepticism about vaccines and other pandemic response tools (such as masking and social distancing), being propagated by some world leaders, without due consideration of the relevant scientific evidence. It is the responsibility of leaders to uphold scientific integrity and prioritise truth, not political opportunism.

We also saw so-called “fake news” play its part in disrupting the ongoing negotiations on the Pandemic Accord, with false claims that the treaty would strip sovereignty by giving the WHO powers to impose lockdowns or vaccine mandates. This is of course not true, and I am pleased to see that negotiations look to be moving closer to finalisation for the May deadline.

As the Elders explained in our recently launched Pandemics Policy Position Paper, we know that another pandemic threat is inevitable. And when that threat comes, we must have a strategy to tackle disinformation to limit its global influence. Without this, future pandemic responses risk being fragmented, politicised and ineffective, ultimately prolonging the crises and increasing preventable harm.

The fight against disinformation is a fight for global health, especially as we continue to rely on vaccines to protect lives and prevent future pandemics.

With thanks for your ongoing support,

Gro Harlem Brundtland