In the modern era, medical personnel seeking to eradicate polio on a global scale have come up against two new enemies as fearsome as the virus itself: misinformation and mistrust. These already-formidable foes have become even more so as those in positions of trust and power have successfully harnessed their power, utilizing the confusion and chaos left in their wake to further their own agendas. An example of the effect of this manipulation on the eradication effort can be found in Nigeria, where university professors and religious clerics seeking greater personal influence have spread damaging rumors regarding the safety of polio vaccines, in turn allowing the virus to continue to spread. Because of the staggering amount of such unscrupulous leaders throughout the world, the eradication of polio will unfortunately have to wait for a more gentle social climate.