As always, thank you for your willingness to be a public health communicator. Earlier today, I read Katelyn Jetelina's article on the "appeal to nature fallacy," which is a frequent issue she highlights. Great minds...! The attempt of influencers to "dumb down" complex scientific information places us all in jeopardy, unless we know how to source.
Speaking of over-simplifying complex information, I do have a request, should you ever have time to write about it: there are an increasing number of apps that enable people to scan bar codes or enter the product information of items in their home, ranging from personal care products to food. A friend recently recommended the "Yuka" app, and it took only seconds for me to question the information. It warns consumers of ingredients that are allegedly a cancer risk (phenoxyethanol, for instance, which is in most of my shampoos and skin care products) and ingredients such as BHT (in anti-perspirant) that are allegedly very high risk for endocrine disruption. They offer alternative suggestions, which aren't necessarily an alternative (e.g., deodorant is NOT antiperspirant). They do claim they aren't paid for endorsing other products.
I'm not a chemist or a scientist of any kind, but I recalled all of your articles on "chemophobia," as well as information along those lines from other scientists I trust, and I became skeptical. I checked it out and discovered that the app's founders are an engineer, an accountant and an entrepreneur. No scientists appear to be on board, so I don't know where they are getting their information. This is one of many such apps. I would be utterly thrilled if you would someday review at least some of the major apps in this category, offering guidance about what is crap and what is not. (Or, perhaps they all are.)
Well written and informative. Thank you. I have a friend who sees a conspiracy under every rock. My theory is that conspiracy theories are a form of Gnosticism. Adherents of conspiracy theories have a special knowledge that the rest of us lemmings don’t possess. They are therefore intellectually superior.
As always, thank you for your willingness to be a public health communicator. Earlier today, I read Katelyn Jetelina's article on the "appeal to nature fallacy," which is a frequent issue she highlights. Great minds...! The attempt of influencers to "dumb down" complex scientific information places us all in jeopardy, unless we know how to source.
Speaking of over-simplifying complex information, I do have a request, should you ever have time to write about it: there are an increasing number of apps that enable people to scan bar codes or enter the product information of items in their home, ranging from personal care products to food. A friend recently recommended the "Yuka" app, and it took only seconds for me to question the information. It warns consumers of ingredients that are allegedly a cancer risk (phenoxyethanol, for instance, which is in most of my shampoos and skin care products) and ingredients such as BHT (in anti-perspirant) that are allegedly very high risk for endocrine disruption. They offer alternative suggestions, which aren't necessarily an alternative (e.g., deodorant is NOT antiperspirant). They do claim they aren't paid for endorsing other products.
I'm not a chemist or a scientist of any kind, but I recalled all of your articles on "chemophobia," as well as information along those lines from other scientists I trust, and I became skeptical. I checked it out and discovered that the app's founders are an engineer, an accountant and an entrepreneur. No scientists appear to be on board, so I don't know where they are getting their information. This is one of many such apps. I would be utterly thrilled if you would someday review at least some of the major apps in this category, offering guidance about what is crap and what is not. (Or, perhaps they all are.)
Well written and informative. Thank you. I have a friend who sees a conspiracy under every rock. My theory is that conspiracy theories are a form of Gnosticism. Adherents of conspiracy theories have a special knowledge that the rest of us lemmings don’t possess. They are therefore intellectually superior.