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# Califf Sees Misinformation as Cause of Preventable Deaths
- URL: https://www.fdaweb.com/califf-sees-misinformation-as-cause-of-preventable-deaths/
- Published: 2023-02-17T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-14T18:16:26.000Z
- Author: David McFarland
- Tags: FDA Policy/General, Drugs, Devices, #legacy-id-D5153812

FDA commissioner **Robert Califf** says the agency will be tackling the problem of misleading health information, which he views as a “leading cause of preventable death in America now.” Califf made the comment in a [paper](https://www.fda.gov/news-events/fda-voices/highlighting-major-issues-critical-fda-across-our-diverse-agency-after-one-year-back?utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fsource=govdelivery) marking the first anniversary of his becoming the agency’s 25th commissioner.

He said that while it can’t be proven that misinformation is a leading cause of preventable death, the Covid-19 pandemic is instructive. “Most of the Covid-19 deaths since vaccines and antivirals became available were preventable if people had gotten updated on their vaccination status and, if high risk and infected, had been treated with an authorized antiviral,” he declared.

The impact of the evolving information environment goes well beyond Covid into everyday decisions Americans make about their health, Califf wrote. He said FDA will be working on a strategy to fulfill its stated mission of “helping the public get the accurate, science-based information they need to use medical products and foods to maintain and improve their health” in the face of a “tsunami of confusing and misleading information.” A Reagan-Udall Foundation project will help FDA explore the issue this year, he said.

In his anniversary paper, Califf highlighted major “cross-cutting” issues that are critical for FDA as an institution across the diverse agency:

- supporting the work of the Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA) to move the entire agency into a model for future regulation by looking at workflow and identifying approaches that will support ORA functions and provide first-rate technology to make the work more efficient, effective, and rewarding for the workforce;
- successful reauthorization of user fees that locked in critical funding for five years;
- efforts to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure that Americans have plenty of tests, effective vaccines, antivirals, and ample other devices and medical supplies; and
- development of a hybrid work environment that is optimized for productivity and lifestyle.

He also addressed cross-cutting issues relating to the human foods program and the Center for Tobacco Products.