{"id":687098,"date":"2025-08-28T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-28T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/?p=687098"},"modified":"2025-09-02T11:23:20","modified_gmt":"2025-09-02T15:23:20","slug":"better-prompting-may-help-reduce-ai-hallucinations-false-vaccine-claims-spread-and-industrial-solvent-promoted-as-hidden-cancer-cure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/health-information-trust\/better-prompting-may-help-reduce-ai-hallucinations-false-vaccine-claims-spread-and-industrial-solvent-promoted-as-hidden-cancer-cure\/","title":{"rendered":"Better Prompting May Help Reduce AI Hallucinations, False Vaccine Claims Spread, and Industrial Solvent Promoted as Hidden Cancer Cure \u2014 The Monitor"},"content":{"rendered":"<div\n\tclass=\"no-sidebar wp-block-kff-shared-content--blank-slate wp-block-kff-shared-content\">\n\t\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-content-main\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-content-main__content__inner\">\n\t\t\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained wp-block-block\" style=\"background-color:#001c34;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group hide-group-block-on-mobile has-background is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"background-color:#001c34;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/series\/the-monitor\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/250825_The-Monitor_Hero_Desktop_2.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-687380\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:1280px;height:225px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/250825_The-Monitor_Hero_Desktop_2.png 2560w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/250825_The-Monitor_Hero_Desktop_2.png?resize=300,53 300w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/250825_The-Monitor_Hero_Desktop_2.png?resize=768,135 768w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/250825_The-Monitor_Hero_Desktop_2.png?resize=1024,180 1024w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/250825_The-Monitor_Hero_Desktop_2.png?resize=1536,270 1536w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/250825_The-Monitor_Hero_Desktop_2.png?resize=2048,360 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group hide-group-block-on-desktop has-background is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"background-color:#001c34;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/series\/the-monitor\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"940\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/07\/250825_The-Monitor_Hero_Hero-Image_Mobile.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-687283\" style=\"object-fit:cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/07\/250825_The-Monitor_Hero_Hero-Image_Mobile.png 940w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/07\/250825_The-Monitor_Hero_Hero-Image_Mobile.png?resize=300,96 300w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/07\/250825_The-Monitor_Hero_Hero-Image_Mobile.png?resize=768,245 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 940px) 100vw, 940px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-1 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;padding-bottom:0px\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"padding-right:0px;padding-left:0px;flex-basis:900px\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-bottom:0px\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-left is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-4 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--60);padding-bottom:0\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>VOLUME 29<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div style=\"font-size:18px; padding-top:0px;padding-bottom:0px;\" class=\"wp-block-post-date\"><time datetime=\"2025-08-28T08:00:00-04:00\">August 28, 2025<\/time><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-better-prompting-may-help-reduce-ai-hallucinations-false-vaccine-claims-spread-and-industrial-solvent-promoted-as-hidden-cancer-cure\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\">Better Prompting May Help Reduce AI Hallucinations, False Vaccine Claims Spread, and Industrial Solvent Promoted as Hidden Cancer Cure<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-5 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-bottom:0px\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-authors\">\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-authors__list wp-block-kff-shared-authors__list--show-seperators\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/person\/irving-washington\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-authors__author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIrving Washington\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-authors__seperator\">,<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/person\/hagere-yilma\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-authors__author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHagere Yilma\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-authors__seperator\">,<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-authors__seperator\">\n\t\t\t\t\tand\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/person\/joel-luther\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-authors__author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJoel Luther\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" style=\"margin-top:25px;margin-bottom:25px\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-summary\">Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This volume highlights new research showing that certain prompting techniques can help reduce the risk of <a href=\"#chatbots\">AI chatbots<\/a> amplifying false medical information when users include fabricated terms in their queries. It also examines false claims linking <a href=\"#sudden-infant-death-syndrome\">vaccines to sudden infant death syndrome<\/a> and the promotion of the industrial <a href=\"#dimethyl-sulfoxide-solvent\">solvent dimethyl sulfoxide<\/a> as an allegedly suppressed cancer cure despite a lack of clinical evidence. Lastly, it explores misunderstandings among first responders about the risks of <a href=\"#fentanyl-overdose-risk\">overdose from fentanyl<\/a> exposure and ongoing myths about <a href=\"#sunscreen-claims\">sunscreen safety<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0\">\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" style=\"margin-top:25px;margin-bottom:25px\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-featured\">Featured<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-problem-isn-t-trust-in-vaccines-it-s-that-people-don-t-know-who-to-trust\">The Problem Isn\u2019t Trust in Vaccines, It\u2019s That People Don\u2019t Know Who to Trust<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/BTD-Aug-18-Vaccines_social.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"576\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/BTD-Aug-18-Vaccines_social.png?w=1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-687509\" style=\"width:1280px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/BTD-Aug-18-Vaccines_social.png 3840w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/BTD-Aug-18-Vaccines_social.png?resize=300,169 300w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/BTD-Aug-18-Vaccines_social.png?resize=768,432 768w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/BTD-Aug-18-Vaccines_social.png?resize=1024,576 1024w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/BTD-Aug-18-Vaccines_social.png?resize=1536,864 1536w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/BTD-Aug-18-Vaccines_social.png?resize=2048,1152 2048w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/BTD-Aug-18-Vaccines_social.png?resize=250,141 250w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/BTD-Aug-18-Vaccines_social.png?resize=500,282 500w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/BTD-Aug-18-Vaccines_social.png?resize=834,469 834w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/BTD-Aug-18-Vaccines_social.png?resize=1280,720 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In last week\u2019s \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/from-drew-altman\/the-problem-isnt-trust-in-vaccines-its-that-people-dont-know-who-to-trust\/\">Beyond the Data<\/a>\u201d column, KFF\u2019s CEO, Dr. Drew Altman, draws on years of KFF polling about vaccines and writes that uncertainty about vaccines stems not from lack of confidence in their safety but from eroding trust in sources of health information, leaving many unsure where to turn for reliable guidance. As Altman notes in the column, just 16% of the public believe mRNA vaccines are unsafe, but only 14% of the public say they have a lot of trust in federal health agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure the safety and effectiveness of vaccines. The result: the majority of Americans are uncertain and unsure what to believe.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0\">\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" style=\"margin-top:25px;margin-bottom:25px\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-ai-amp-emerging-technology\">AI &amp; Emerging Technology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"chatbots\"><strong>Chatbots Prone to Hallucinations When Prompted with Fabricated Terms<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/Chatbots-Prone-to-Hallucinations-When-Prompted-with-Fabricated-Terms.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/Chatbots-Prone-to-Hallucinations-When-Prompted-with-Fabricated-Terms.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-687514\" style=\"width:1280px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/Chatbots-Prone-to-Hallucinations-When-Prompted-with-Fabricated-Terms.png 2000w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/Chatbots-Prone-to-Hallucinations-When-Prompted-with-Fabricated-Terms.png?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/Chatbots-Prone-to-Hallucinations-When-Prompted-with-Fabricated-Terms.png?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/Chatbots-Prone-to-Hallucinations-When-Prompted-with-Fabricated-Terms.png?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/Chatbots-Prone-to-Hallucinations-When-Prompted-with-Fabricated-Terms.png?resize=1536,1025 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">KFF \/ <em>Getty Images<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots can convincingly amplify false claims when false medical information is embedded within user questions, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s43856-025-01021-3\">new research<\/a> published in <em>Communications Medicine.<\/em> The study, conducted by researchers at Mount Sinai Medical Center, tested how leading large language models (LLMs) respond when fictional medical terms are included in patient scenarios. The researchers created 300 hypothetical cases containing fabricated diseases, symptoms, or medical tests to evaluate whether chatbots would identify and reject the false information.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Without additional safety prompts, the AI responses regularly contained hallucinations, a phenomenon that occurs when an LLM fabricates false information instead of relying on evidence. In 65.9% of responses, the chatbot expanded on the fictional medical details, generating confident explanations about treatments for non-existent conditions like \u201cFaulkenstein Syndrome.\u201d Researchers suggested that users may unknowingly include false information in their health queries to AI chatbots, from unreliable sources or misremembered medical terms, and may receive responses that not only repeat but expand upon those inaccuracies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The study also demonstrated, however, that including additional safeguards in the prompt could reduce this risk. By asking the AI models to use only clinically validated information and acknowledge uncertainty, the rate of hallucinations dropped to 43.1%. The researchers suggested that additional safeguards built into AI models, or included in user prompts, help mitigate the risks of chatbots amplifying false health information. The findings demonstrate the need for further education about AI, including around proper prompting techniques. An <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/health-information-trust\/poll-finding\/kff-health-misinformation-tracking-poll-artificial-intelligence-and-health-information\/\">August 2024 KFF poll<\/a> found that most adults (56%) were not confident in their ability to tell the difference between what is true and false when it comes to information from AI chatbots. Users may benefit by developing new prompting strategies, particularly when using AI for health information where falsehoods can cause particular harm. Framing prompts with accurate, verified details, or including safeguards in the prompts, could help prevent chatbots from repeating false information, enhancing their reliability and usefulness.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0\">\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" style=\"margin-top:25px;margin-bottom:25px\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-recent-developments\">Recent Developments<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"sudden-infant-death-syndrome\">False Claims Link Vaccines to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/10805-08.28.2025-Image-1-GettyImages-927424104-web.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1063\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/10805-08.28.2025-Image-1-GettyImages-927424104-web.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-687519\" style=\"width:1280px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/10805-08.28.2025-Image-1-GettyImages-927424104-web.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/10805-08.28.2025-Image-1-GettyImages-927424104-web.jpg?resize=300,199 300w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/10805-08.28.2025-Image-1-GettyImages-927424104-web.jpg?resize=768,510 768w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/10805-08.28.2025-Image-1-GettyImages-927424104-web.jpg?resize=1024,680 1024w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/10805-08.28.2025-Image-1-GettyImages-927424104-web.jpg?resize=1536,1020 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Karl Tapales \/ <em>Getty Images<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Widely-shared social media posts in early August repeated unsubstantiated claims that routine childhood immunizations are associated with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/sudden-infant-death\/index.html\">sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)<\/a>. The claims circulated online this summer following the publication of a review, authored by a researcher who has previously published studies claiming that vaccines are unsafe, that alleged without evidence that vaccines cause SIDS. One X user, with nearly 800,000 followers, falsely alleged that children who died of SIDS were killed by the vaccine industry. Another account, with more than 100,000 followers, called for a ten-year ban on all vaccines, implying that such a ban would lead to \u201ca society without SIDS\u201d and other illnesses like cancer and autism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Claims of an association between childhood vaccinations and SIDS have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK234368\/\">persisted for decades<\/a>, largely citing the temporal association between the recommended vaccination schedule and incidence of SIDS. Cases of SIDS <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK560807\/\">peak around 2-4 months of age<\/a>, coinciding with the timing of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/vaccines\/hcp\/imz-schedules\/child-adolescent-age.html\">recommended early childhood vaccines<\/a>. Multiple large-scale studies, though, have found <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0264410X17318273\">no causal link<\/a> between childhood vaccines and SIDS. Research has <a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC10351748\/\">identified<\/a> multiple factors that may contribute to SIDS risk, including sleep position, maternal smoking, and premature birth, but vaccination is not among them. Rates of SIDS <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/sudden-infant-death\/data-research\/data\/sids-deaths-by-cause.html\">sharply declined<\/a> after the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) introduced <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK513383\/#:~:text=The%20impact%20on%20sudden%20infant,the%20United%20States%20(3).\">safe sleep guidelines for infants<\/a>, then stabilized in the 2000s during the same timeframe that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chop.edu\/vaccine-education-center\/science-history\/vaccine-history\/developments-by-year\">the childhood vaccination schedule expanded.<\/a> Some studies have found that vaccinations may in fact be associated with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0264410X07002800?via%3Dihub\">lower risk of SIDS.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-15 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"background-color:#e5e5e5;margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--60);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--60);padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Polling Insights:<\/strong> Recent KFF polling has found that notable shares of parents are coming across vaccine-related content on social media. In KFF\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/public-opinion\/kff-health-information-and-trust-tracking-poll-health-information-and-advice-on-social-media\/\">July Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust<\/a> four in ten parents (41%) reported seeing information about vaccines on social media in the past 30 days. <a href=\"https:\/\/files.kff.org\/attachment\/Topline-KFF-Health-Misinformation-Tracking-Poll-August-2024.pdf\">Previous KFF polling<\/a> has found that about a third of parents (36%) say they are \u201cnot too confident\u201d or \u201cnot at all confident\u201d that they can tell what is true versus what is false when it comes to information on social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As parents are exposed to vaccine information online, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/health-information-trust\/kff-tracking-poll-on-health-information-and-trust-covid-19-vaccine-update\/\">July Tracking Poll<\/a> also found that many express distrust in the CDC and in local public health departments when it comes to providing reliable information about vaccines. Overall, four in ten parents say they trust the CDC \u201cnot much\u201d or \u201cnot at all\u201d to provide reliable information about vaccines and a similar share (38%) express distrust towards their local public health department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-white-background-color has-background is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-14 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\">\n<div class=\"datawrapper-embed block--datawrapper-embed \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div style=\"min-height: px;\">\n\t\t\t<script\n\t\t\t\ttype=\"text\/javascript\"\n\t\t\t\tdefer\n\t\t\t\tsrc=\"https:\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/pHEQ8\/embed.js?v=14\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<\/script>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<img\n\t\t\tclass=\"datawrapper-embed__print-img\"\n\t\t\tsrc=\"https:\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/pHEQ8\/full.png\"\n\t\t\talt=\"About Four in Ten Parents Report Little to No Trust in the CDC and Their Local Public\u00a0Health Department\u00a0To Provide Reliable Vaccine Information\"\n\t\t\/>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"dimethyl-sulfoxide-solvent\">Dimethyl Sulfoxide, An Industrial Solvent, Promoted as Suppressed Cancer Cure<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/10805-08.28.2025-Image-2-GettyImages-2190021566-web.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1069\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/10805-08.28.2025-Image-2-GettyImages-2190021566-web.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-687529\" style=\"width:1280px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/10805-08.28.2025-Image-2-GettyImages-2190021566-web.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/10805-08.28.2025-Image-2-GettyImages-2190021566-web.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/10805-08.28.2025-Image-2-GettyImages-2190021566-web.jpg?resize=768,513 768w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/10805-08.28.2025-Image-2-GettyImages-2190021566-web.jpg?resize=1024,684 1024w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/10805-08.28.2025-Image-2-GettyImages-2190021566-web.jpg?resize=1536,1026 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Irfan Setiawan \/ <em>Getty Images<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some influential X accounts with large followings have promoted dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), an industrial solvent and byproduct of paper production, as a \u201cmiracle cure\u201d for a range of health issues, often portraying past regulatory restrictions on the substance as evidence of a deliberate suppression of an effective treatment. Social media posts in late July and early August have claimed that the solvent can treat conditions including blindness, tinnitus, skin issues, and cancer. One X account, with more than 1.8 million followers, described a combination of DMSO and the histologic stain hematoxylin as \u201cThe 50-Year-Old Cancer Miracle Hiding in Plain Sight\u201d and said that the FDA \u201cchose to bury the evidence.\u201d Other accounts also presented unsupported claims about DMSO as a cancer cure as evidence of a conspiracy, including one with more than 300,000 followers who claimed that the FDA banned the substance despite knowing that it \u201ccured cancer\u201d and \u201cmade chemo more likely to work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">DMSO, which <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/0024320564900797\">penetrates the skin quickly<\/a> and is used in some <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/22030943\/\">transdermal drug delivery systems<\/a>, was tested in the 1960s as a pain reliever, but <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1966\/12\/23\/archives\/dmso-ban-ended-by-drug-agency-fda-sets-strict-rules-for.html\">trials were halted<\/a> after research showed abnormal changes in the eyes of laboratory animals. Research has since continued into DMSO\u2019s potential for pain relief, including for pain from osteoarthritis, but has yielded <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S1063458408000666#sec4\">inconsistent<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1093\/ecam\/nep045\">results<\/a>. The FDA <a href=\"https:\/\/dailymed.nlm.nih.gov\/dailymed\/fda\/fdaDrugXsl.cfm?setid=58b25d79-78f2-4953-b0c6-61658dc4ef0d#:~:text=INFORMATION%20FOR%20PATIENTS%20(Patient%20Copy,of%20using%20RIMSO%2D50%C2%AE.\">has approved<\/a> DMSO for treating symptoms of interstitial cystitis, which remains the only FDA-approved use of the substance. While its effectiveness in treating cancer has also been investigated, claims that it is a \u201ccure\u201d overstate the available evidence. Some <a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC9801450\/\">research<\/a> in laboratory settings has shown that it may have anti-cancer properties, but other <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1420-3049\/26\/23\/7305\">studies<\/a> have found it may increase the rate at which cancer cells multiply, and no large-scale clinical trials have demonstrated its effectiveness for treating cancer in humans. DMSO has also <a href=\"https:\/\/aacrjournals.org\/cancerres\/article\/74\/14\/3913\/592777\/Say-No-to-DMSO-Dimethylsulfoxide-Inactivates\">been shown in some research<\/a> to adversely interact with effective cancer treatments, including platinum-based chemotherapy drugs like cisplatin, carboplatin, and oxaliplatin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It has nonetheless been promoted by alternative medicine advocates <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/archive\/politics\/1981\/12\/12\/controversial-cancer-treatment\/265463f5-0919-4e0e-a590-f740d1bc9772\/\">for decades<\/a>, and some science communicators have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcgill.ca\/oss\/article\/medical-critical-thinking-history\/dmso-not-cure-all-fdas-panic-over-it-birthed-myth\">theorized<\/a> that the FDA\u2019s effective ban of the chemical may have contributed to advocacy for its use. The substance\u2019s promotion as a cancer cure, despite a lack of evidence, may cause patients to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bmj.com\/content\/371\/bmj.m4087\">delay<\/a> treatment, which is known to lead to higher mortality rates. Its popularity mirrors <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/the-monitor\/states-expand-access-to-ivermectin-as-cancer-myths-continue-and-abortion-pill-faces-false-water-supply-claim\/\">unsupported claims about ivermectin\u2019s ability to treat cancer<\/a> and demonstrates the potential for unproven and potentially harmful treatments to gain attention as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/health-information-trust\/poll-finding\/kff-tracking-poll-on-health-information-and-trust-covid-19-vaccine-update\/\">trust in health authorities declines.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"fentanyl-overdose-risk\">Police Video Highlights Ongoing Misunderstandings About Fentanyl Overdose Risk<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/Police-Video-Highlights-Ongoing-Misunderstandings-About-Fentanyl-Overdose-Risk.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"7198\" height=\"4799\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/Police-Video-Highlights-Ongoing-Misunderstandings-About-Fentanyl-Overdose-Risk.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-687537\" style=\"width:1280px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/Police-Video-Highlights-Ongoing-Misunderstandings-About-Fentanyl-Overdose-Risk.png 7198w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/Police-Video-Highlights-Ongoing-Misunderstandings-About-Fentanyl-Overdose-Risk.png?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/Police-Video-Highlights-Ongoing-Misunderstandings-About-Fentanyl-Overdose-Risk.png?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/Police-Video-Highlights-Ongoing-Misunderstandings-About-Fentanyl-Overdose-Risk.png?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/Police-Video-Highlights-Ongoing-Misunderstandings-About-Fentanyl-Overdose-Risk.png?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/Police-Video-Highlights-Ongoing-Misunderstandings-About-Fentanyl-Overdose-Risk.png?resize=2048,1365 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 7198px) 100vw, 7198px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Adobe Stock<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Widespread <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/the-monitor\/political-rhetoric-spreads-misinformation-about-fentanyl\/#exposure\">misunderstandings about brief skin contact with fentanyl<\/a> continue to shape public perception and emergency protocols, despite a decline in opioid deaths that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/mental-health\/opioid-deaths-fell-in-mid-2023-but-progress-is-uneven-and-future-trends-are-uncertain\/\">began in mid-2023<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/quick-take\/opioid-deaths-are-falling-though-proposed-medicaid-changes-could-disrupt-access-to-treatment\/#:~:text=Copy%20link%20to%20quick%20take&amp;text=New%20CDC%20data%20show%20opioid,reducing%20fentanyl%20supply%20likely%20contributed.\">continued through 2024<\/a>.In early August, a video of a police officer collapsing after handling evidence during an arrest was widely shared on social media, contributing to discussion about the risk of fentanyl exposure among law enforcement. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wyff4.com\/article\/berkeley-deputy-exposed-to-fentanyl-collapses-narcan\/65553275\">According to the local sheriff\u2019s office<\/a>, the officer handled a dollar bill containing fentanyl without gloves and was administered naloxone and transported to a local hospital. The sheriff\u2019s description has not confirmed fentanyl as the cause, but it has reinforced misconceptions about the drug, with some commenters <a href=\"https:\/\/healthandjusticejournal.biomedcentral.com\/articles\/10.1186\/s40352-021-00163-5\">falsely<\/a> suggesting that brief skin contact with fentanyl could cause an overdose. A former narcotics officer repeated the claim on cable television, saying that merely touching fentanyl \u201ccould kill someone.\u201d Others, though, including an X user who identified himself as a medical doctor, stated that physical absorption of fentanyl through such brief contact was not possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The misunderstanding that brief skin contact with fentanyl can cause an overdose <a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC8810663\/\">can be traced<\/a> to a 2016 Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) video that warned law enforcement officers that such contact could be fatal. Fentanyl can be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0887233320304641\">absorbed through the skin<\/a>, but a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/full\/10.1080\/15563650.2017.1373782#d1e344\">joint statement<\/a> from the American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT) and the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology (AACT) clarified that small, unintentional skin exposures to fentanyl powder or tablets are &#8220;very unlikely&#8221; to cause significant opioid toxicity. According to the statement, it would take 14 minutes with both hands covered with high-absorption fentanyl patches to receive a therapeutic dose. Risk may be greater for workers in certain high-risk situations, like a drug storage or distribution facility where the potential for longer duration exposure is higher, and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/niosh\/substance-use\/fentanyl-emergency-responders\/ppe.html\">recommended<\/a> higher levels of personal protective equipment (PPE) when larger quantities may be encountered.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/full\/10.1080\/15563650.2023.2259087?casa_token=4bAiQEU-90IAAAAA%3ANGhmsJ06S7Qd3WzD81GcJDoBqqHK0-gqjEJl69I_HI0tEOkkh4f_IUtiSeT1ehEtnM0gRYJz-uL2qQ#abstract\">Studies<\/a> have found no confirmed cases of fatal overdoses among first responders due to contact with the drug, and there have been <a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC8810663\/\">no documented cases of harm<\/a> from incidental exposure. Still, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0955395921002061\">perceived risk<\/a> among first responders remains high, and misunderstandings about the potential of accidental overdose have shaped emergency response protocols. These concerns may result from conflating brief contact during routine emergency calls with prolonged, high-concentration exposures which carry higher risks. A<a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/fentanyl-opioid-response-exposure-myth-misinformation-overdose\/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20Daily%20Health%20Policy%20Report&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8m4EziLozBmUzHHke3db7JA6iwLgsEtjHORXqkR8_qFRKBQFaiMYv8O1wD_tG8AdtGjwGMaaUioO0nGndvnSx7mE1GMw&amp;_hsmi=356116032&amp;utm_content=356116032\"> KFF Health News article<\/a> reported that these misconceptions may have contributed to some first responders being warned to proceed with caution when responding to an overdose. This has prompted concern among some public health advocates that misunderstandings of risk could lead to delayed interventions such as CPR and rescue breaths, techniques that are <a href=\"https:\/\/library.samhsa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/five-essential-steps-for-first-responders.pdf\">recommended<\/a> by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) as essential steps in responding to opioid overdoses.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"sunscreen-claims\">Sunscreen Claims Persist as UV Protection Remains Important<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/10805-08.28.2025-Image-3-GettyImages-2177162920-web.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1067\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/10805-08.28.2025-Image-3-GettyImages-2177162920-web.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-687542\" style=\"width:1280px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/10805-08.28.2025-Image-3-GettyImages-2177162920-web.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/10805-08.28.2025-Image-3-GettyImages-2177162920-web.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/10805-08.28.2025-Image-3-GettyImages-2177162920-web.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/10805-08.28.2025-Image-3-GettyImages-2177162920-web.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/10805-08.28.2025-Image-3-GettyImages-2177162920-web.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">ljubaphoto \/ <em>Getty Images<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Misleading claims that sunscreen is ineffective or toxic have circulated on social media through late summer, with some influencers promoting the idea that chemical sunscreens cause more harm than sun exposure itself. One post, from an account with more than 1.1 million followers, claimed that an increase in melanoma rates was associated with the \u201ctoxic chemicals\u201d found in commercially available sunscreen. Others promoted alternative sun protectants, like beef tallow, and claimed that vitamin D from sun exposure helped reduce cancer risk.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Claims that ingredients in sunscreen are toxic may have originated with a 2020 <a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC6990686\/\">study<\/a> that found some chemical ingredients, including oxybenzone and avobenzone, were systematically absorbed by the body in concentrations that exceed the FDA\u2019s limit for requiring further safety testing. The FDA has requested further safety data on these chemicals, but the agency has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fda.gov\/news-events\/fda-brief\/fda-brief-fda-announces-results-second-sunscreen-absorption-study\">noted<\/a> that the fact that an ingredient is absorbed does not mean it is unsafe, nor does its request for additional information. There has been <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/32108942\/\">no conclusive evidence<\/a> that these chemicals are harmful, and dermatologists have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/health\/2025\/08\/10\/anti-sunscreen-movement-risks\/\">noted<\/a> that they have been safely used for decades. The FDA continues to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fda.gov\/drugs\/understanding-over-counter-medicines\/sunscreen-how-help-protect-your-skin-sun\">recommend the use of sunscreen<\/a>, along with other sun-protective measures, like limiting time in the sun. Some posts also referenced recent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fda.gov\/safety\/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts\/edgewell-personal-care-issues-voluntary-nationwide-recall-banana-boat-hair-scalp-sunscreen-due-0\">recalls<\/a> of sunscreen products containing benzene, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cancer.gov\/about-cancer\/causes-prevention\/risk\/substances\/benzene\">known carcinogen<\/a>, incorrectly associating it with oxybenzone and avobenzone. Melanoma diagnosis rates have risen alongside <a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC8682817\/\">increased use of sunscreen<\/a>, but this trend also coincided with <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/11380050\/\">greater public awareness<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC6712997\/\">improved diagnostic tools<\/a>. Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sun exposure is a <a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC5760354\/\">known risk factor<\/a> for developing skin cancers like melanoma, and <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/21135266\/\">trials<\/a> have <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/27621396\/\">shown<\/a> that regular use of sunscreen significantly reduces this risk. There is <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/23076499\/\">no evidence<\/a> that vitamin D reduces the risk of skin cancers, and evidence shows <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/30945275\/\">that regular sunscreen use does not cause vitamin D deficiency.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ongoing myths about supposed harms of sunscreen may lead some to discontinue use, resulting in higher rates of the <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/9433642\/\">most common and preventable forms of cancer<\/a>. UV rays remain a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/radiation-health\/data-research\/facts-stats\/ultraviolet-radiation.html\">year-round concern<\/a>, as fall and winter months can still present significant UV exposure. Damage from sun exposure is <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/14728700\/\">cumulative<\/a>, and contributes both to skin cancer risk and <a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC4344124\/\">accelerated aging<\/a>. The FDA <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fda.gov\/drugs\/understanding-over-counter-medicines\/sunscreen-how-help-protect-your-skin-sun\">recommends<\/a> use of broad spectrum sunscreens with SPF values of 15 or higher.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);flex-basis:290px\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group wp-block-kff-sticky-menu is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-24 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained wp-block-block\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--60);padding-right:0;padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--60);padding-left:0\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"margin-right:0;margin-left:0;padding-top:0;padding-right:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-left:0\"><strong><strong>About The Health Information and Trust Initiativ<\/strong>e:<\/strong> the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/health-information-and-trust\/\">Health Information and Trust Initiative<\/a> is a KFF program aimed at tracking health misinformation in the U.S., analyzing its impact on the American people, and mobilizing media to address the problem. Our goal is to be of service to everyone working on health misinformation, strengthen efforts to counter misinformation, and build trust.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:10px\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/series\/the-monitor\/\">View all KFF Monitors<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/series\/the-monitor\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"576\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/250715_The-Monitor_FI.png?w=1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-682788\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/250715_The-Monitor_FI.png 1920w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/250715_The-Monitor_FI.png?resize=300,169 300w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/250715_The-Monitor_FI.png?resize=768,432 768w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/250715_The-Monitor_FI.png?resize=1024,576 1024w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/250715_The-Monitor_FI.png?resize=1536,864 1536w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/250715_The-Monitor_FI.png?resize=250,141 250w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/250715_The-Monitor_FI.png?resize=500,282 500w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/250715_The-Monitor_FI.png?resize=834,469 834w, https:\/\/www.kff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/08\/250715_The-Monitor_FI.png?resize=1280,720 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Monitor is a report from KFF\u2019s Health Information and Trust initiative that focuses on recent developments in health information. It\u2019s free and published twice a month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-23 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"background-color:#e6edf3;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-right:0;padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50)\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"padding-top:0;padding-right:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-left:0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/information-trust-email\/\">Sign up to<\/a> receive <strong>KFF Monitor<\/strong><br><strong> <\/strong>email updates<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-2 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex wp-block-block\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"padding-top:0;padding-right:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-left:0;flex-basis:900px\">\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-bottom:0\"><em><em>Support for the Health Information and Trust initiative is provided by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of RWJF and KFF maintains full editorial control over all of its policy analysis, polling, and journalism activities. The data shared in the Monitor is sourced through <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/the-monitor-methodology\/\">media monitoring research<\/a> conducted by KFF.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"post-footer\">\n\t<div class=\"post-footer__title\">More On<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"post-footer__links\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/topic\/health-information-trust\/\">\n\t\t\t\tHealth Information and Trust\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/tag\/cancer\/\">\n\t\t\t\tCancer\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/tag\/opioids\/\">\n\t\t\t\tOpioids\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/tag\/substance-use\/\">\n\t\t\t\tSubstance Use\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/tag\/vaccines\/\">\n\t\t\t\tVaccines\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This volume examines how prompting techniques can reduce incorrect medical information from AI chatbots; false claims linking vaccines to sudden infant death syndrome; the promotion of an industrial solvent as an allegedly suppressed cancer cure; misunderstandings about the risks of overdose from fentanyl exposure; and ongoing myths about sunscreen safety.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":155412913,"featured_media":687590,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"exhibits":[],"authors":[{"type":"foundation","id":573135,"name":"","_id":"d66e5d0d-9e72-471d-a625-79760a051af5"},{"type":"foundation","id":590048,"name":"","_id":"06cd3d30-7c43-4dc5-ab2c-699cf359f7cc"},{"type":"foundation","id":654938,"name":"","_id":"53d2e34f-23ea-48ee-ab29-8b44556dcb93"}],"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"_classifai_error":"","_classifai_text_to_speech_error":"","hide_from_search":false,"show_featured_image":false,"subheading":"","tag":"","search_keywords":"10805, AI, artificial intelligence, sunscreen, SIDS, sudden infant death syndrome","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"shortlink":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[579145376],"tags":[4252,417697726,579145428,579145135],"partner":[],"content-types":[579145486],"program":[],"series":[579145371],"class_list":["post-687098","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-information-trust","tag-cancer","tag-opioids","tag-substance-use","tag-vaccines","content-types-feature","series-the-monitor"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.9 (Yoast SEO v25.9) - 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