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“Pernicious” denotes harm that is especially insidious—spreading subtly or gradually until consequences are serious. In the sentence, rumor-mongering undermines health campaigns not through a single blow, but by eroding trust, depressing participation, or promoting misinformation over time. That aligns with (C). “Harmless” (A) and “Beneficial” (B) invert the warning. “Transient” (D) speaks to duration, not damage; pernicious harms can be long-lasting. On Nelson–Denny vocabulary tasks, align word choice with causal logic: if a behavior degrades outcomes indirectly (e.g., rumors → lower vaccination uptake → preventable outbreaks), the modifier should encode latent harm rather than immediate catastrophe. Substitution—“can have subtly harmful effects”—keeps the sense intact. Distinguish pernicious from “noxious” (harmful/poisonous) and “baneful” (causing ruin); all imply injury, but “pernicious” often emphasizes stealth and accumulation—an important nuance when interpreting policy and public-health prose.