Bathinda varsity’s cancer misinformation research receives acceptance at IARC-WHO

Bathinda: A study on cancer misinformation by researchers at the Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, has been accepted for presentation at the IARC@60 conference in Lyon, France, hosted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the specialised cancer agency of the World Health Organisation (WHO).The study, titled ‘Cancer Misinformation in the Digital Age: A Global Synthesis of Research Trends and Key Themes', was carried out at the Interventions Design and Effects Lab (IDEL) within the department of mass communication and media studies under the School of Information and Communication Studies at the university. Navigating the Gold Standard of EvaluationUniversity vice-chancellor Prof R P Tiwari said: "Clearing the IARC Scientific Consensus Review proves that CUPB is not just producing academic papers but is actively shaping the future of global health guidelines," said CU VC Prof RP Tiwari.Notably, scientific consensus review is widely regarded by the global academic community as one of the most rigorous and tough evaluation procedures. Unlike traditional peer-review processes, a consensus review demands that an international panel of elite oncologists, epidemiologists, and scientists reach a collective, unanimous agreement on the methodology, data integrity, and policy relevance of the work.The IDEL team successfully cleared this zero-doubt filter, underscoring the success of the ‘Research for Resurgent Punjab' of interdisciplinary studies, which effectively bridges the gap between mass communication and clinical public health.The project is spearheaded by associate prof and head of the department of mass communication and media studies, Rubal Kanozia. The IDEL was instrumental in initiating research aimed at developing evidence-based interventions to combat cancer-related misinformation.The accepted research features the primary work of PhD scholar Naman and Ritu Arya, whose ongoing doctoral research on cancer misinformation was vetted by the scientific minds. Their analysis of misinformation patterns is now recognised as a vital tool for international health agencies.By passing through IARC's rigorous scientific review process, the IDEL's findings are now positioned to contribute to the policy platforms of IARC, WHO, and international strategies for health literacy. MSID:: 129156648 413 |