Ben Goldacre

Brilliant. Funny, educative, committed, deeply informed. The clinical trial - blind, controlled, randomised, peer-reviewed - is the hero of the book. I was familiar with it in outline but Ben really makes clear how it works and why it matters; and far from blinding us with science he shows it to be common sense pursued to the utterance. There are tricksters aplenty and some villains, the most egregious being the guy who persuaded Mbeki to torpedo the the South African AIDS programme . We show more also learn how the media, especially it seems the British, swallow fistfulls of alarmist nonsense and ignore anything resembling real science. He explains not just what happens but how and why. Ben tells great yarns with good jokes (getting "Dr" McKeith's degree for his dead cat is one of the best) but an underlying high seriousness. Appreciate how he does not blame us ordinary folk for credulousness, but calls on both the scientists and the media to take proper responsibility for their communication. show less

This selection of Goldacre's journalism touches on many alarming things, but possibly the most alarming is to realise how long it is since he stopped writing his "Bad Science" column in the Guardian — 2011! Where does the time go?

It is a testament to his skill as a writer that I remembered a very large proportion of these pieces from when I first read them in the Guardian or on his blog. But it was nice to come back to them, and to discover a few other pieces that were new to me, including show more things he published in the BMJ, the introduction to a government report on using evidence-based research in teaching, a prize-winning essay about treatment of heroin addiction from his college days and — rather unexpectedly — the foreword to the official guidebook of the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway.

The general themes are what you would expect: tireless evangelising for scientific method, criticism of incompetent or sensationalist science journalism, and a certain amount of amused baiting of homeopaths, nutritionists, magnetism purveyors, and other kinds of quacks. But the main point is always to help us to get a critical understanding of how (medical) scientists go about doing research, and why it matters that they do it correctly and openly. Anyone who reads Goldacre's columns (or his previous books) is in a better position to ask the right questions of a newspaper piece that starts "Scientists have..." — I suspect there are quite a few working scientists who've brushed up their knowledge of experiment design after seeing him point out other people's mistakes, as well! show less

Bad Science is an exposé of the ways in which science is misused, misrepresented, and misunderstood in modern society. As a physician and science writer, his primary goal is to help readers distinguish between legitimate science and the pseudoscientific or slanted claims that often grab the headlines. He advocates evidence-based decision-making. The author systematically dismantles various forms of bad science, beginning with relatively harmless but scientifically baseless health fads like show more detox footbaths and homeopathy, before escalating to more dangerous instances where misunderstood statistics and cherry-picked data have led to genuine public health crises.

Goldacre's analysis of the MMR vaccine controversy is particularly compelling, and he explains how it led to the reoccurrence of these diseases in Great Britain. He takes on several individuals that have blatantly tried to profit from sales of their own products while producing great harm in the process (such as the withholding of AIDS medications in South Africa, where HIV was rampant). What makes this book particularly effective is Goldacre's ability to equip readers with the critical thinking tools needed to evaluate scientific claims on their own. He explains concepts like the placebo effect, randomized controlled trials, meaningful statistics, peer reviews of publicized articles, and publication bias. His writing style sprinkles in humor to go along with the more scientific explanations. His passion for scientific integrity is evident.

Published in 2008, it remains relevant, especially with the recent rise in science denial. He examines problems that are still with us (perhaps even more so than before), such as media sensationalism, scientific illiteracy, outrageous claims by people in positions of power, and the exploitation of people's health anxieties. These factors continue to shape public discourse. Recommended to anyone who wants to become more informed about the scientific process, and better able to make informed decisions. This book provides a wealth of valuable information. It is too bad that “You cannot reason people out of positions they did not reason themselves into.” show less

I occasionally read Ben Goldacre's column in the Guardian, so had an inkling of what to expect, and the book is very much in the same vein as that column if you've ever come across it. Ben Goldacre very simply and clearly explains how 'evidence' is manipulated by pharmaceutical companies, vitamin pill peddlars, and various quacks and TV 'doctors'. I usually pride myself on my healthy cynicism and my intelligence, but this book made me realise how much I accept claims made in the media, and show more trust what I read in supposedly respectable newspapers. I found the book is easy to read , apart from a section on statistics which had me drifting off elsewhere - but thats not his fault, it needs expalining as part of the book. Quite simply this book quickly and effectively demolishes many of today's widely held beliefs (such as vitamins prevent cancer), and educates the readrer in how to look at things objectively. After reading this I felt liberated, and want to spread the word by buying everyone I know a copy - especially the hardcore homeopaths & crystal healers among them... Highly recommended for anyone who values rational thought over hysterical ignorance. show less