Medical Misinformation and Trust in Healthcare w/ Dr John Kerr: August 17th 2026

A recent New Zealand case report has highlighted the potential consequences of medical misinformation, after a nine-year-old developed serious complications when prescribed antibiotics were not used as directed. But the case may point to something broader than a single false claim online, with distrust in doctors, the health system and government institutions also shaping how people make decisions about treatment. Producer Pranuja spoke to University of Otago public health researcher Dr John Kerr about how medical mistrust develops, the role social media plays in amplifying it, and how health professionals can respond without pushing hesitant patients further away. She started by asking about the case and how medical misinformation played a role in it.