What Can You Say When You Can’t Say Everything? Authors: Lori Dorfman dorfman@bmsg.org, Liana B. Winett, Katherine Schaff, and Pamela Mejia

https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2026.00921 Today’s decisions about what and how to communicate about population health occur amid very real fears and expectations of harsh reprisal that have had far-reaching impacts, both for people’s health and for the health professions. It is in this context that health researchers must share their findings with the public and policy makers, prevent confusion, and avoid harming groups already facing systemic barriers to health. In every communication context—from research papers to quotes on the nightly news—people must make thoughtful choices about what to say. Communication, therefore, is always an act of selection that requires both a clear purpose and a visible connection to the broader contexts for public health measures. With planning, skill, resources, and adherence to best practices for health communication, even difficult or easily misinterpreted information can be communicated clearly and accessibly while also maintaining accuracy. To build trust and be understood by the public and policy makers, public health researchers and practitioners must clearly, directly, contextually, and descriptively speak to the challenges affecting population health.