College of Physicians reacts to hoardings with fake anti-C-section messages: “Disinformation in health is not just opinions”
The statements displayed on the dozens of billboards that appeared recently in Bucharest, which promote false anti-cesarean messages, “are without scientific foundation”, say the members of the Obstetrics-Gynecology Commission of the College of Doctors.
“Birth by caesarean section represents, in many situations, a life-saving medical intervention, both for the mother and for the fetus, being indicated based on clear medical criteria”, the doctors state in the statement.
In addition, the decision regarding the type of birth “is the result of an individualized medical evaluation, followed by informing the patient about the advantages and risks, the final decision being the optimal one for the health of the mother and the child”, say the representatives of the commission.
Also, “recommendations regarding the medical act must belong exclusively to professionals in the field, respecting the limits of competence, they must be based on solid scientific evidence, clinical guidelines recognized by the scientific community and good medical practices, adapted to the particularities of each individual case”, the representatives of the College of Doctors also specify.
“In Romania, an increased number of cesarean operations is registered”
The doctors admit that “in Romania there is an increased number of cesarean operations”, but, they say, this phenomenon “is part of the general European and global trend, determined by multiple medical, social and systemic causes”.
The College of Doctors also believes that protecting the population “against unauthorized medical messages must become a public interest priority”.
“In the medical field, correct, complete and scientifically validated information is essential both for patients and for society as a whole,” say the organization's representatives. “Health misinformation or incomplete presentation of information are not mere opinions, but can constitute a real risk to the health of the population.”
In addition, the president of the College of Doctors, Cătălina Poiană, emphasizes that any material of a medical nature disseminated in the public space in a communication campaign — regardless of the chosen channel — “should clearly contain the identification data of the initiator or promoter of the campaign”.
Dozens of billboards with fake anti-C-section messages that appeared in Bucharest this month are not branded with the name of a company or organization and do not include scientific information.
Investigative website Snoop discovered that the billboards were commissioned by the Corporate Transparency Foundation, which promotes various conspiracy theories through ad campaigns.
Some of the messages:
- “Myth or reality: Caesarean section disables the vital process of natural birth through surgery.”
- “Myth or reality: through caesarean section, lack of dilations and contractions is genetically transmitted from mother to daughter”.
- “Natural birth must be the norm and caesarean section the exception.”
