FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, MD, recently said the need to address misinformation is “probably the most difficult issue in my career.” Delivering accurate, understandable, and timely health information to the public, as well as to experts trusted by the public, is “an astounding challenge,” he said at a virtual public hearing in which the Reagan-Udall Foundation for FDA highlighted its observations and strategies to improve public understanding of the agency and the products it regulates.

“It is important for the American public to trust the FDA, its regulatory process, and its decisions,” the Reagan-Udall report said. “If they do not, the public cannot be expected to take the appropriate steps based on the FDA’s work to protect and enhance their own health, the health of their families, and the health of the nation. Improving understanding of FDA-regulated products first requires trust.”

Beyond its role as regulator, FDA must also find its voice as a federal communicator. With 18,000 employees stationed around the world, including 223 field offices and 13 laboratories, speaking with a unified voice and tone to address and/or preempt misinformation—without seeming like it’s silencing discussion or stifling dissent—is a tall order to say the least.

Meanwhile, according to a Pew Research Center report, low public trust in the federal government in general has persisted for nearly two decades. “Americans remain deeply distrustful of and dissatisfied with their government. Just 20% say they trust the government in Washington to do the right thing just about always or most of the time—a sentiment that has changed very little since former President George W. Bush’s second term in office.”

The COVID-19 pandemic certainly didn’t help instill confidence in government or public health institutions. So where do people go for information?

As Julian Mellentin of New Nutrition Business noted in his report on functional food trends, “52% of consumers aged 18-34 go first to social media for food and health advice. For them, social media is mainstream media.”

At the same time, 48% of women are getting answers about menopause on the internet instead of healthcare providers (31%), according to a survey from Bonafide Health. On top of that, 27% of respondents who actually spoke to a healthcare practitioner about their menopause symptoms were offered no option to manage symptoms.

There’s a clear breakdown in communication and education here that reflects broader (mis)understanding about health and nutrition in the U.S. So again, who or what fills in the gap?

Citing research published in 2022, the Reagan-Udall report noted that “misleading information, which is often sensational or emotionally impactful, tends to garner more engagement than factual information.”

At a time when most people can become a publisher or influencer for the price of a blue check mark, and generative artificial intelligence is expected to enter the scene in a big way, trust is still a currency that’s hard-earned and often hard to find.