Main Theme: This article advocates for the adoption of scientific skepticism as a necessary tool to combat the pervasive misinformation and questionable practices prevalent in the health and wellness industry.

Key Points:

• Historical Context: The authors provide a historical overview of pseudoscientific health practices, highlighting the persistence of "snake oil" remedies throughout history, from ancient civilizations to modern times. This underscores the enduring human susceptibility to dubious health claims.
• The Need for Skepticism: The article argues that the abundance of extraordinary claims in the health and wellness industry, often lacking substantial evidence, necessitates a skeptical approach. Skepticism is presented not as cynicism or automatic dismissal but as a critical evaluation based on empirical evidence.

"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence... To be skeptical in science is to judge the validity of claims based on objective, empirical evidence, or at the very least, to withhold judgment until such evidence is at hand"

• Critical Thinking as a Learned Skill: The authors stress that critical thinking, crucial for navigating the complexities of scientific information and misinformation, is not innate and requires deliberate cultivation. They express concern that current education systems often fail to adequately equip individuals with these essential skills.

"...a grasp of scientific facts and concepts is only weakly related or completely unrelated to pseudoscientific beliefs... Critical thinking skills are not for other people."

• Combating Misinformation and Questionable Practices: The article proposes a multi-pronged approach to addressing misinformation and questionable practices within the health and wellness industry, including:

• Challenging baseless claims and pseudoscience in public forums.
• Utilizing corrective messaging and debunking techniques.
• Educating others on critical thinking principles.
• Employing strategies like "prebunking" and "inoculation theory."

"The clinical oath primum non-nocere (first do no harm) not only compels scientists and practitioners to administer reasoned and evidence-based advice but also to rally in removing absurdity and falsehood from circulation so it cannot contaminate decision making."

• Self-Reflection and Scientific Rigor: The authors urge readers to apply skepticism not only to external claims but also to their own biases and the methodologies employed in scientific research. They highlight concerns about questionable research practices driven by publication pressures and performance metrics, emphasizing the need for increased rigor and a focus on quality over quantity in research.

"As scientists and skeptics, we lean heavily on findings from scientific research... In our view, the field has become reluctant to acknowledge its methodological shortcomings."

Call to Action:

"...only by having the courage to confront health and wellness pseudoscience will we alter the paradigm and reverse the current emphasis on marketing over science."

Recommended reading:

How Skepticism (not Cynicism) Can Raise Scientific Standards and Reform the Health and Wellness Industry

https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijsnem/33/3/article-p174.xml