Victorians living with spinal cord injury will benefit from a new pilot communication strategy to help clinicians address health misinformation around unproven therapies.

Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) Dr Leanne Rees received a two-year, $199,785 grant through the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) Best Client Outcomes Grant Program to fast-track the project.

Researchers, clinicians and educators from MCRI, The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) and Austin Health, alongside people with spinal cord injury, will collaborate to co-design and pilot practical supports for real-world clinical conversations.

Dr Rees, of MCRI’s Stem Cell Ethics and Policy team, said clinicians repeatedly faced questions sparked by online sources and news stories, including claims about treatments that were not proven or regulated in local healthcare settings.

Image: Dr Leanne Rees

“These conversations are often about more than the facts,” she said. “We want to make sure clinicians can respond in a way that’s honest and compassionate, while also helping families navigate misinformation and avoid potential harm.”

The work builds on Dr Rees’ research showing these discussions can be challenging for health professionals and unsatisfying for patients and families.

“There are no established resources to guide clinicians through conversations that may involve distress, uncertainty and hope,” she said. “By developing and testing a communication strategy with researchers, clinicians and people with lived experience, our project aims to change that.”

The team will draw on principles that recognise the psychological load of spinal cord injury and the way misinformation can shape decision-making.

Dr Rees said the strategy could also be relevant beyond spinal cord injury care.

“Health misinformation is a growing issue across healthcare,” she said. “If we can develop a practical approach that helps clinicians navigate these conversations well, it has the potential to be adapted to other settings and families.”

The TAC Best Client Outcomes Grant Program aims to improve the quality of health and disability services in Victoria. The program provides grants to fund research projects that support recovery, rehabilitation and life participation for people injured in transport accidents.