Why SciComm is a relentless storm & why it's always been raging

Disclaimers

First time have spoken on topic of SciComm

55, white, male 👴 (so no worries about privilege there)

Did I mention I’m 55?

1. The Set-Up 🔨🔧 2. The Sting(s) 🐝

- vaccination 💉 - quackademics 🎓

3. Moving forward 🔭

The Set UpThe credibility problem of science

Civilization demands & is dependent upon scientific progress so why are we surrounded by so much pseudoscience?

Is pseudoscience so bad anyway? Why should we trust science?

The outsider view:Science is a shelf in a toy store or a Whiz Bang TV show Scientists are elites/inaccessible/in pocket of big XYZ 👑💰 Scientists speak an obscure dialect of Klingon 👹 Science is hugely expensive 💰💰 Scientists disagree with one another and cheat 💔🎭 Scientific dogma changes all the time 🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘

The Education Gap

Trivialization of science (gee whiz) Dropped from curriculum early Oversimplified/exaggerated in MSM Sound bite journalism (aiming at grade 10) Didactic teaching rather than experience

But, it’s not all bad.In fact…

Everything is awesome!

We are the Enemy (in part)

There is much scientific outreach in various forms but most is driven by need for publicity - fund-raising 💰

As a consequence, we use language that competes for attention (1st of media, then often amplified for public)📰🎥

Is this ethical? Does coating science in hype associate it in the publics mind with skeptism and doubt? 😱

Word cloud based on four recent press releases for pancreatic cancer research

Co-association, Distrust & Fatigue

GMOs - Monsanto is evil therefore GMOs are evil They put DNA in food!😈

There is fraud in science!🙈

Fund-raising for the Cure 🚑

We can’t afford science

Priorities - tough economic times💰

Return on investment 💵

Changing what science is done - we know enough, just translate

Why are we studying the sex habits of worms? 🐛❤️🐛

🔍 Science is Never Settled

A major problem for communication of science is that science is a means or method, not an end. The fact that science is a process that constantly hacks down its own ideas is often exploited. 🔪

Despite massive volumes of evidence for a model, it can be dissolved by a single new compelling discovery. 🔬💡

But, not all science is created equal & burden of veracity is not quantitative, but qualitative.

Vulnerable to false balance, misinterpretation of meaning of expert criticism; easily subverted by pseudoscience that lacks structural rigour.

Case Study 1 - Complications of Vaccination

40% of Canadians believe science behind vaccinations is unclear (Nat Post).

The Toronto Star piece was a major investigative piece by some of the reporters who reported on Rob Ford, as well as other health controversies. In this case, they blew it.

The story made the cardinal sin of correlation = causation

A series of heart-rending examples of children being seriously ill or dying within a few weeks of being immunized for HPV (Gardasil).

Coupled to survey of the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS)

The story was sprinkled with sentences pointing out no direct cause had been established but this was buried within the dramatic reporting.

The Star report was quickly condemned by researchers & healthcare professionals but damage had been done.

https://storify.com/karengeier/when-teaching-yourself-statistics-is-no-match-for

https://storify.com/dawnbazely/transcending-the-polarization-of-the-vaccination-c

The Star public editor spoke against the story & the EiC admitted it was flawed. Other staff were not convinced.

The Star retracted the article & withdrew it from its website 15 days after publication (Feb 5 to Feb 20)

This is a remarkable, albeit necessary response, given newspapers rarely retract stories (even with threat of litigation)

So why was the story retracted?

Canada already lags in HPV vaccinations among girls compared to other developed countries (50-75%).

The vaccine has been given over 4 million times (that have been studied) & side-effects are equivalent to placebo.

HPV causes cervical, anal, penile, laryngeal cancers & genital warts (a new version of the vaccine covers 9 HPV strains, Gardasil and Cervarix cover the most comon 4).

Reduction in coverage due to erroneous linkage with adverse events would lead to increased, preventable incidence. The Star realised.

Case Study 2 - Quackademics

http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/pseudoscience-north-whats-happening-to-the-university-of-toronto/

Beth Landau-Halpern - a Toronto homeopath recently caught on camera by the CBC television show Marketplace selling homepathic “nosodes” to a mother as a substitute for a real vaccine.

Jennifer Yun - naturopath: Drawing upon the disciplines of Traditional Chinese acupuncture, sacred geometry, the qabbalastic tree of life, the ayurvedic nadi system, and high Qi nutrition, esoteric acupuncture brings the subtle and finer aspects of Qi (vital energy) into balance.

Bryce Wylde - homeopath and self-described “alternative medicine expert, philanthropist, television host” who certainly gets significant television exposure, whether it’s his own show or guest appearances on The Dr. Oz Show.

There are other sources attempting to dispell myths, especially those propagated by celebrities

What is wrong with discussing integrative care?

Actually, nothing, but processes/procedures that have no scientific basis should discussed in the same realm as personal beliefs, etc., not medicine. ⛪️

Conventional medicine leaves much to be desired, but any attempt to build on it must be subject to the same standards. Key elements of holistic care are already incorporated into conventional medicine (vaccines, social assistance, well being, etc) but are only allowed/paid for on evidential basis.

When health clashes with faith. Extremely difficult & sensitive topic - e.g. aboriginal girl with leukaemia - treated at a Florida clinic with no credentials; Gordie Howe’s miraculous stem cell treatment for stroke.

Education plus standards will help, but we’re fooling ourselves if we think most vulnerable will not seek alternatives when desperate. 🙏 Hope is powerful & easily exploited by unscrupulous or misguided.

What about academic freedom? 🎓

Universities should be vessels for discussion and debate without restriction*. However, the playing field must be fair & appropriate for the “sport”.

Must maintain line between fact (🔬 ) & fiction (🎅) (or content & advertising).

Diversity of opinion is essential but cannot give equal time to views of unequal rigour.

Must remember that providing unvetted forums confers legitimacy. Very easy to hide under veil of FoE.

*Limits for abuse, incitement, etc.

Moving Forward

What can we do? What are best practices in SciComm?

The internet has been a major factor in enabling quackery and false information. It is also a powerful tool for neutrilizing.

We often behave as though we’re knights in shining armour. looking/dumbing down. Don’t patronize! Risk of alienation.

Start young & carry on. Science is inherently interesting. Heck, it’s 😈 amazing (compared to 2 🐺🐺).

Social Media & ScienceInspired by @alexis_Verger: https://aninfinityofhypotheses.wordpress.com/2015/02/24/a-scientists-account-to-twitter/

Twitter:To discover (other science) - e.g. TOCs To promote your science (& that of others) To connect with others (editors, journalists) To seize the zeitgeist To perceive other points of view (essential) To build a record (diary) - I also use a clip filer To virtually attend conferences To sense what is going on (but trends ⧣ importance) To have fun (no right or wrong way)

Dangers: Dip in but don’t linger (inherent echoes). Don’t obsess #followers FWIOTI Content increasingly polarized - don’t get too comfortable Don’t post if you can’t drive

Science Tweeters

@picardonhealth - Andre Picard @carlyweeks - Carly Weeks @juliaoftoronto - Julia Belluz @katecallen - Kate Allen @theresaboyle - Theresa Boyle @helenbranswell - Helen Branswell @margaretmunroe - Margaret Munroe @edyong209 - Ed Yong @ivanoransky - Retraction Watch @cswa - Canadian Science Writers Association @badsciencewatch @evidencenetwork

Journalists/writers Scientists@mbeisen - Michael Eisen @dawnbazely - You know who @timcaulfield - Tom Caulfield @leonidkruglyak - Leonid Kruglyak @m_m_campbell Malcolm Campell

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/health-journalism-symposium-tickets-15841563543

FREE

Re-Normalize Science

There isn’t a time or place. Communicate constantly. As scientists, there is no better investment of your time. If you cannot effectively communicate what you do & why, you should not be a scientist.

We run an outreach program for K-12 which works with 5,000 kids a year. Main benefit, providing our own trainees with communications skills.

We fund-raise by asking trainees to present their work to donors - like Dragons Den (without O’Leary). Winners are usually those with ability to effectively explain their work.

https://student.societyforscience.org/article/mice-can-teach-us-about-human-disease

Glossary

Readability

Fun!

This was a taboo topic on mice in research. Made our comms people nervous. But if we don’t educate, the conversation will be dominated by special interests (e.g. PETA)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-science-is-so-hard-to-believe/2015/02/12/2ff8f064-b0a0-11e4-886b-c22184f27c35_story.html

http://tumblr.benlillie.com/post/111131925807/what-gets-called-science-communication

http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/02/13/forty-per-cent-of-canadians-believe-science-behind-vaccinations-isnt-clear-poll/

http://policyoptions.irpp.org/2015/02/24/homeopathy-and-the-ethics-of-researching-magic/

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/why-dont-people-trust-science

https://aninfinityofhypotheses.wordpress.com/2015/02/24/a-scientists-account-to-twitter/

https://storify.com/karengeier/when-teaching-yourself-statistics-is-no-match-for

https://storify.com/dawnbazely/transcending-the-polarization-of-the-vaccination-c

http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/pseudoscience-north-whats-happening-to-the-university-of-toronto/

https://student.societyforscience.org/article/mice-can-teach-us-about-human-disease

https://drjengunter.wordpress.com

Link Fest