Romania: only scientific evidence on health in the media

Ten post jest także dostępny w języku: polski

The Romanian government supports the emergence of programmes based on scientific evidence in the media. According to the draft amendment to the media law, a specialist doctor will have to take part in television and radio health programmes. The Romanian Chamber of Deputies adopted the draft in mid-November.

The amendment is largely due to concern about the recent increase in anti-vaccine movements. As a result, the level of vaccination in Romania has fallen below 90%. At the same time, the country has faced an epidemic of measles in recent months. According to the Romanian Ministry of Health, the intensification of the disease is the result, among other things, of irresponsible announcements in the media. According to the authors of the project, the media are obliged to guard the accuracy of information and to be able to distinguish between facts and opinions. As far as health is concerned, the minority opinion, in which scientific evidence is not the basis, should not be presented on an equal footing with scientific consensus, we read in the explanatory memorandum of the project.

Also in Poland there is an intensive discussion on the legitimacy of vaccination.  Will scientists be able to speak?