Amir Sarfaraz

Background. The infodemic phenomenon has recently emerged as a major challenge in Iran’s public health and social trust. The spread of misinformation and the decline in the credibility of official sources have weakened citizens’ decision-making and the effectiveness of national policies. This policy brief presents strategies to enhance media literacy and address infodemic-related risks. Methods. The evidence for this policy brief was derived from 2 main sources: a descriptive-analytical study (internal evidence) and data gathered from prior studies (external evidence) published in established databases. Internal evidence was collected through a questionnaire-based survey involving Iranian health information specialists, including medical librarians/information science professionals, media experts, and health education/promotion specialists. In the final stage, effective media literacy strategies to counter the infodemic, collected from the preceding two phases, were evaluated through focused group discussions and in-depth interviews with 5 experts in the field until theoretical saturation was reached. Results. Policy options identified include: designing and implementing a national media literacy education program, establishing rapid information response teams for health crises, developing supportive technologies and systems for identifying and correcting misinformation, launching public awareness and media culture promotion campaigns, and strengthening knowledge translation and exchange regarding health and infodemics. Conclusion. A combination of short-term and long-term measures encompassing educational, technological, cultural, and research strategies coupled with government and community participation can strengthen informational resilience and reduce vulnerability to false narratives. Practical Implications.The most effective strategy for enhancing media literacy and managing the infodemic is the adoption of a participatory governance approach involving the simultaneous engagement of government, civil society, academia, and the technology sector; therefore, future research and interventions should focus on developing and evaluating such frameworks within the health system.