Ask for Evidence campaign
A tidal wave of scepticism is set to sweep the UK after today’s launch of the Ask for Evidence campaign by charity Sense about Science.
Backed by a welter of scientists and celebrities, the campaign is intended to persuade the public to ask for the underlying evidence behind claims made by health practitioners, retailers, politicians and other supposed authorities.
Speaking about the campaign at the British Science Festival yesterday, Síle Lane of Sense about Science said: “We have been exposing dubious scientific claims throughout our existence. Bodies such as patient groups and the Royal Colleges [of medicine] are becoming more critical, and now we hope the general public will too. We want it to become harder for any organisation to push out unjustifiable claims.”
She added that the many “miracle cures” offered on the Internet are a particular concern.
However, even large companies are unused to being asked for the facts behind the claims they make. Dr Lane said: “We want a world in which they expect to be asked for evidence. The same goes for the claims made by government ministries.”
Backers for Ask for Evidence include entertainers Dara Ó Briain, Jonathan Ross and Ed Byrne, and scientists Sir Paul Nurse, Lord Krebs and Professor Jim Al-Khalili, vice president of the British Science Association.
More at www.senseaboutscience.org/a4e
Backed by a welter of scientists and celebrities, the campaign is intended to persuade the public to ask for the underlying evidence behind claims made by health practitioners, retailers, politicians and other supposed authorities.
Speaking about the campaign at the British Science Festival yesterday, Síle Lane of Sense about Science said: “We have been exposing dubious scientific claims throughout our existence. Bodies such as patient groups and the Royal Colleges [of medicine] are becoming more critical, and now we hope the general public will too. We want it to become harder for any organisation to push out unjustifiable claims.”
She added that the many “miracle cures” offered on the Internet are a particular concern.
However, even large companies are unused to being asked for the facts behind the claims they make. Dr Lane said: “We want a world in which they expect to be asked for evidence. The same goes for the claims made by government ministries.”
Backers for Ask for Evidence include entertainers Dara Ó Briain, Jonathan Ross and Ed Byrne, and scientists Sir Paul Nurse, Lord Krebs and Professor Jim Al-Khalili, vice president of the British Science Association.
More at www.senseaboutscience.org/a4e
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