Ethical dilemmas of health misinformation and the importance of scientific dissemination

Introduction: Health misinformation represents an increasing ethical challenge in the digital age, as it affects individual and collective decision-making, undermining public health and trust in science. In this context, scientific dissemination becomes a strategic tool to counter the spread of false or misleading information.Objective: To analyze the ethical dilemmas derived from health misinformation and highlight the importance of scientific communication as a mitigation strategy.Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted using the PRISMA 2020 methodology. The search included databases such as PubMed, SciELO, Medline, Embase, Cochrane, and Google Scholar, complemented by generative artificial intelligence tools (e.g., ChatGPT-4, Gemini). Studies published between 2020 and 2025 in English and Spanish were considered.Results: A total of 896 documents were identified, of which 50 met the inclusion criteria. The analysis revealed the ethical impact of misinformation in health, such as the erosion of public trust, harmful decision-making, stigmatization, and political manipulation. Scientific dissemination was identified as a key strategy to foster education, critical thinking, media literacy, and community engagement.