Populism Versus Public Health: Lessons from Iran’s COVID-19 Crisis and the Global Cost of Scientific Misinformation

This article explores the impact of science-related populism on public health during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on the situation in Iran. Our analysis of publicly available data from The Economist and the World Health Organization demonstrates the consequences of delayed vaccination campaigns, showing a clear correlation between delayed vaccine introduction and increased excess mortality rates. This trend is particularly pronounced in Iran, where political resistance to Western vaccine imports and the promotion of unproven medical technologies exacerbated the public health crisis. Additionally, our time-series analysis links significant surges in COVID-19 deaths to government related events and decisions that likely enhanced virus transmission, indicating direct public health repercussions from delayed pandemic responses. These results highlight the global security threat posed by science-related populism, where political agendas undermine scientific integrity and public health. The findings advocate for an urgent global commitment to uphold scientific evidence as the cornerstone of health policy, emphasizing the necessity of combating misinformation to ensure timely and effective public health measures.