Evidence based medicine’s communication crisis: why “cold facts” lose to warm narratives

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Source: BMJ

Original: http://www.bmj.com/content/392/bmj.s362.short?rss=1...

Published: 2026-02-26T03:52:14-08:00

The article describes the communication crisis of evidence-based medicine (EBM), where its original cautious language creates a disadvantage in public perception. This language appears to the public as "cold", ambiguous or out-of-date information, especially in times of fear and uncertainty. In contrast, social media influencers offer warm, clear stories and decisive action steps that satisfy the need for certainty and control. The article criticizes Santos Paul's contribution, which focuses on influencer biases but overlooks this fundamental paradox of EBM. The battle is not just between evidence and misinformation, but between communication optimized for scientific accuracy (EBM) and for emotional resonance (influencers). So often, EBM fails to translate its authority into public trust.