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This unfortunate interview is a classic example of false balance in science communication and the dangers it can cause. And I'm going to get mad about it. A thread. https://twitter.com/BRRshow/status/1308964368646770688
If you don't know much about false balance here is a primer, but it is where interviewing someone with publicly controverial (but not scientifically conroversial) views leads people to think that there is no scientific consensus. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6680130/
That is, that there are a "balance" of views, and that it is important to hear from both sides. To be fair the journalists have claimed that they were trying to hold Evans to account. Lets see how that worked out...
In this interview Evans makes a lot of claims that have already been debunked that weren't challenged. For example the false idea that only 6 per cent of people have died from coronavirus. Debunked here: https://www.factcheck.org/2020/09/cdc-did-not-admit-only-6-of-recorded-deaths-from-covid-19/
The false idea that hopstials and nursing homes are misclassifying COVID-19 deaths to take advantage of financial incentives has been debunked here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-14/coronacheck-nursing-homes-aged-care-coronavirus-payment-death/12554278
The false idea that flu is more deadly than the coronavirus, debunked here: https://www.aap.com.au/lockdown-critic-says-covid-19-is-only-slightly-worse-than-the-flu/
Evans suggests that doctors "at the coalface" oppose the Victorian lockdown, when in fact the AMA and the RACGP both generally support the lockdown.
https://ama.com.au/gp-network-news/continued-lockdown-victoria-will-help-avoid-third-wave-covid-19
https://www.racgp.org.au/gp-news/media-releases/2020-media-releases/july-2020/racgp-s-message-for-victorians-your-gp-is-here-to
https://ama.com.au/gp-network-news/continued-lockdown-victoria-will-help-avoid-third-wave-covid-19
https://www.racgp.org.au/gp-news/media-releases/2020-media-releases/july-2020/racgp-s-message-for-victorians-your-gp-is-here-to
As does the Editor of the Medical Journal of Australia @MJA_Editor for what its worth. https://twitter.com/MJA_Editor/status/1300202760470589440?s=20
At one point Evans makes a bunch of truly bizzare and false claims about Daniel Andrews including that he has made "sixty trips to China over the past six years." Again this went unchallenged.
Frustratingly one of the journalists says that Pete has a lot of views about food and nutrition that "have merit" and are "amazing" when nutrition scientists and registered dietitians regularly have to debunk his nonsense and fad diet programs. https://www.abc.net.au/news/health/2018-06-21/pete-evans-diet-doco-magic-pill-health-claims-evaluated/9891470
I have to say that one of the reporters did a very good job of pulling Evans up on his false argument that the lockdown is leading to more suicides: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-27/no-spike-in-suicide-rates-in-victoria-during-covid-19-lockdowns/12602060
These journalists are claiming that they have performed their legitimate journalistic role in holding Evans to account, however the number of false claims that were left unchallenged means, unfortunately, that this isn't true in practice - even if it was their intent.
Instead these journalists should have either reconsidered whether they should interview someone who is going to abuse their audience to spread dangerous misinformation - or whether they should have instead used "weight of evidence reporting". https://niemanreports.org/articles/weight-of-evidence-reporting-what-is-it-why-use-it/
@AusSMC has some very good guidelines on this, but granting a long-form interview about scientific topics to a noted conspiracy theorist without being challenged by a scientist - or some other expert - is dangerous practice...
https://www.smc.org.au/for-media/tips-on-reporting-science
https://www.smc.org.au/for-media/tips-on-reporting-science
... especially during a pandemic infused with viral and harmful misinformation propagated by well-known health scammers like Pete Evans. https://www.tga.gov.au/media-release/pete-evans-company-fined-alleged-covid-19-advertising-breaches
