Marking April Fakes Day, questions of what is ‘real’ and what is ‘fake’ are brought into sharp focus in global health – from counterfeit medicines and misinformation to the integrity of data and evidence.
The Oxford-based initiative April Fakes Day brings together a programme of events and activities exploring the social, ethical and political dimensions of fakery in science and beyond. In collaboration with Professor Patricia Kingori at Oxford Population Health’s Ethox Centre and Professor Emilie Cloatre at King’s College London, institutions across the UK and Ghana will spotlight fakes in science and pseudo-science.
The programme builds on ongoing research led by Professor Kingori on ‘pseudo global health’, which examines how distinctions between the real and the fake are produced, contested and governed.
While some forms of fakery, such as museum artefacts or historical forgeries, may appear harmless, others have significant implications for health systems and patient outcomes. Fake medicines, deepfake technologies and the spread of misinformation can undermine trust, distort decision-making and ultimately impact health globally.
Professor Patricia Kingori said:
“In global health, questions of what is real and what is fake are not abstract: they shape how knowledge is produced, trusted and acted upon. April Fakes Day creates space to critically examine these boundaries and their consequences.”
The programme brings together events, exhibitions, film screenings and public discussions across Oxford, London and partner institutions, highlighting the blurred boundaries between authenticity and deception, and the importance of critical engagement with evidence, expertise and information in global health.
Find out more about the programme of events.