Medicine needs critics: Why scepticism is both healthy and important

The author's motivation to write "Healthy Scepticism" stems from a profound personal experience with healthcare. This experience followed the sudden death of their brother due to a genetic heart condition. The author then embarked on a personal diagnostic odyssey to determine if they shared the same condition. Despite holding a public health degree and having several years of research experience, the author found the healthcare process challenging. They felt their reasonable questions were repeatedly dismissed, attributing this more to the system's operation than to individual doctors. This experience ignited their interest in scepticism as a historical phenomenon and its ongoing influence on healthcare. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, observing real-world instances of dispossession, doubt, and distrust, the author felt compelled to contribute to the broader conversation.