The Communicator’s Role in an Anti-Expert Era
By Jennifer Hahn, writing for PR News…
Public health wise, 2025 is off to a rough start. Current data shows that H5N1 Bird flu has spread from millions of birds to nearly 1,000 cows and 69 humans. Newly-minted United States Health and Human Services Director and outspoken vaccine skeptic, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., used his first week in office to scuttle a successful CDC flu vaccine campaign just as the U.S. experiences its worst flu season in nearly 30 years. Measles, declared eliminated in the U.S. 25 years ago, has sickened more than 124 people, mostly children, in Texas across nine counties. Tragically, on Feb. 26, the first-known death from measles of a school-aged child was reported.
Amidst this worrisome news, immunizations for flu and measles, if not yet bird flu, are still widely available. How can health communicators navigate these challenging times?
Basic scientific understanding is dangerously low. From the COVID-19 pandemic, we know that more, not less, information about health saves lives. The public needs statistics and science, but some information has already been removed from the Center for Disease Control’s website. When health becomes politicized, disease can spread even faster than disinformation.
Communicators need a new playbook, in an era when emotion and distrust can win out over traditionally trusted messengers. While there’s still work to do on how we need to pivot, PR pros need to work harder to understand the audience, and craft messages that resonate emotionally—more than intellectually. Here are some suggestions:
Reclaiming Trust: Finding New Messengers
According to a 2024 study by the Pew Research Center, most American voters distrust institutions. Academia and public health agencies like the CDC and National Institute for Health have lost their influence over significant portions of the population. Communicators must recognize this, and find alternative messengers to bridge the gap.
Now the task is to identify and elevate voices that resonate with skeptical audiences. These should be trusted figures within communities—faith leaders, local influencers—folks who can connect on a human level. Their credibility with large swaths of the public often surpasses that of institutional experts.
Consider partnerships with straight-talking, non-academic influencers who can incorporate accurate health information into their content. Messages need to move beyond just facts and data, connecting emotionally and culturally with diverse audiences.
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