Shooting of Slovakian prime minister falsely linked to WHO pandemic treaty

A conspiracy theory circulating in English and Spanish claims without evidence that a recent assassination attempt on Slovakia’s prime minister is related to his opposition to COVID-19 vaccines and the WHO pandemic treaty. A U.S. congressperson and other high-profile figures shared a viral post that falsely claims that the prime minister made a speech questioning COVID-19 vaccine safety and rejecting the WHO pandemic treaty a week before his assassination attempt.

Recommendation: These types of conspiracy theories attempt to undermine the public’s trust in guidance from government and public health officials. Although conversations about this conspiracy theory and the treaty are unlikely to come up in patient conversations, debunking talking points may emphasize that the circulating clip is not from the week before the prime minister’s shooting, but from November 2023. There is no evidence to support the conspiracy theories that the prime minister was targeted due to his stance on COVID-19 vaccines or the pandemic treaty. Explaining that the WHO pandemic accord is a voluntary agreement between nations to better prevent, prepare for, and respond to future pandemics and global health emergencies is recommended.