VICDOC Summer 2025 - Flipbook - Page 23
Science must push back
Politicising science is not an aberration.
Whether the subject is the movement
of the planets, the shape of the Earth,
evolutionary biology, climate change
or modern public health, the pattern
repeats: when evidence collides with
ideology, ideology seeks to lead – but
evidence (or rather, science) must
push back.
personalities, contradictory claims
and complex clinical decisions without
consistent access to reliable, evidencebased guidance.
The modern challenge is the speed
and scale of misinformation. The
responsibility of leaders, institutions
and media is greater than ever. So too
is the importance of scientific literacy,
transparent communication and an
unwavering commitment to evidence-
As Danielle McMullen discusses
elsewhere in this edition, the speed of
misinformation now vastly outpaces the
slower, more careful communication
offered by clinicians and public
health authorities. There really is no
replacement for a GP.
based medicine.
