AEHA 2025 Symposium Recap: Ethical Healthcare in an Era of Disinformation and Misinformation

On Monday, May 19, 2025, the Australian Ethical Health Alliance (AEHA) and Australian Orthopaedic Association (AOA) hosted the AEHA 2025 Symposium, bringing together healthcare professionals, researchers, and policymakers to address the pressing issue of health misinformation and disinformation. Held as a hybrid event from 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM AEST, the symposium brought together over 180 stakeholders from across the globe and provided a platform for in-depth discussions on the ethical responsibilities of the health sector in defending the integrity of health information, communication, and evidence.

Moderated by Tracey Duffy, First Assistant Secretary at the Department of Health and Aged Care, and Natasha Robinson, Health Editor for the Australian, the symposium featured a distinguished lineup of speakers and panellists, including:

• Professor Michael Kidd AO
  Director of the International Centre for Future Health Systems, University of New South Wales and newly appointed Australian Chief Medical Officer

• Professor Chris Bain
  Professor of Practice in Digital Health, Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University

• Professor Stacy Carter
  Professor of Empirical ethics in health, and Director, ACHEEV, University of Wollongong

• Dr. Emily Kirkpatrick
  Healthcare Executive & Board Director, Australian Institute for Machine Learning, The University of Adelaide and SA Health

• Nina Roxburgh
  Researcher, Monash University & PHD Student Digital Health CRC

Adrian Cosenza, Chair of the Australian Ethical Health Alliance, delivered the opening address and served as Master of Ceremonies throughout the event

Key Topics Discussed

• The impact of digital misinformation on healthcare systems

• Ethical responsibilities of healthcare professionals in the digital age

• Strategies for defending the integrity of health data and communication

• The role of ethics in addressing bias and uncertainty in healthcare

Access the Recording

If you missed the live event or wish to revisit the discussions, the full recording of the AEHA 2025 Symposium is now available. You can watch it at your convenience by following the link below:

Looking Ahead to 2026

Planning is already underway for the AEHA 2026 Symposium, with the date to be announced soon. Follow us on LinkedIn to be the first to hear the details as we continue the vital conversation on ethics in healthcare.