Blind faith in pills and potions

Abstract

Scientists, in their professional capacity, are trained to be firm when it comes to differentiating between facts and beliefs. The scientific community accepts only carefully collected and reproducible results. Of course, there is often speculation about what these results mean, but such extrapolations must be based on facts and analysed in the context of a hypothesis. That is the virtually universally accepted procedure in laboratories throughout the world. But outside the scientific cloisters, there is often a different reaction to facts and beliefs. People might ignore or dismiss valid scientific results, and yet believe almost anything that non‐scientists proclaim. We live in the most sophisticated time in human history, have nearly unlimited access to information, are ‘free’ to think for ourselves and make our own decisions, and yet, often revert to more primitive behaviour when it comes to key aspects of our lives, such as health. When it comes to foods and food supplements, the public often consume products in the—possibly mistaken—belief that they are improving their health, and scientists are by no means …