[ratsmack]

It seems that lately, questioning the "doctors" in public places can make you a pariah (and I won't go any further with that).

On another note, I was prescribed a medicine 20 years ago called Propulsid. When I went to fill the prescription, the pharmacist told me that he would not recommend I take it. I contacted the doctor and he was pissed that the pharmacist had given me that recommendation. In the end I didn't take it, which is a good thing because it was removed from the market several years later for causing heart issues.

>WARNING

>Serious cardiac arrhythmias including ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, torsades de pointes, and QT prolongation have been reported in patients taking cisapride.

https://www.rxlist.com/propulsid-drug.htm

[standeven]

It’s fine to question magazine articles that contain lines like “4 out of 5 doctors recommend…”.

It’s fine to question individual doctors.

It’s fine to question corporate-sponsored think tanks.

Is it fine to question a scientific consensus on effective ways to fight a global pandemic?

[ratsmack]

>Is it fine to question a scientific consensus on effective ways to fight a global pandemic?

Yes, it is always fine to question scientific conclusions with legitimate concerns.

Or we could always revert to letting the church decide what valid science is, I guess.

[f6v]

> Yes, it is always fine to question scientific conclusions with legitimate concerns.

See, scientific consensus is usually based on data and certain statistics. Those who question it usually express opinions without addressing the data and methodology. An opinion is not enough, you need to be very specific.

[errantmind]

Questioning something does not require an opinion.

[f6v]

Questioning something without facts to back it up is pointless.

[errantmind]

I'm not sure what that means. Whoever makes the claim provides the facts. If you aren't convinced by those facts then you don't accept the claim. You don't need to bring facts of your own to refuse to believe a claim.

[watwut]

Yeah, except majority of those were nit legitimate questions. They were partisanship or other immediate political goal motivated bullshit.

[jjoonathan]

In high-context environments that correctly incentivize truth seeking and long form debate? Sure!

In low-context, short form meme warfare with the only intention of spreading an opinion that the consensus believes is both incorrect and detrimental? Absolutely not. That's what you're doing right now. Knock it off.

[somenameforme]

When it becomes impossible to be able to reasonably comfortably speak against a consensus, that consensus loses any sort of meaning because it becomes impossible to determine whether it's being upheld by coercion or not. It also becomes completely impossible to carry out science in such an environment because such pressures invariably leak into e.g. universities, career opportunities, grants, and so on.

So without being able to reasonably comfortably speak against a scientific consensus you end up with neither science nor a consensus.

[account42]

> Is it fine to question a scientific consensus on effective ways to fight a global pandemic?

If it cannot be questioned, is there really a consensus?

[winternett]

I finally learned the term "pill mill" last year when I looked up a doctor I had seen for a physical when they prescribed me over 8 medications when I had never taken nor needed any prior. I didn't fill any of the prescriptions and believe it or not all my vitals with my new doc are just fine for my age without any new prescriptions.

Money and fear of losing money has infected almost every profession and business lately, especially due to the pandemic. Even online reviews and advice are hit or miss and even fabricated completely. Getting a second opinions and asking my elders (65+) questions have served me better so far in life than just outright trusting what random professionals on the Internet and TV regularly tell me. I am vaxxed mind you, enough facts were there and I'm pretty reasonable.

Pill interactions are also a big big issue... A doctor sees each patient for maybe an hour, its important to be able to make sure you also feel comfortable with following their advice (live or die) of course.