The Case of the Mute Scientists

“Why aren’t American scientists barking? Why do they remain mute?|First, most scientists feel more comfortable in labs and classrooms than on op-ed pages and TV studios — and they have no real clue about how to go about challenging what they read and see. Second, in virtually 100 percent of cases where scientists have stepped forward to debunk the ‘carcinogen scare de jour,’ they have been subject to ad hominem attacks and labeled “paid liars” for industry. That threat of humiliation is enough to cause many to bite their tongues. Third, science these days has become so very specialized, that the overwhelming portion of our country’s scientists have very narrow areas of expertise. Those with a Ph.D. in entomology, biology, veterinary medicine or physics might possibly be as duped as the average citizen when Mr. Cochran talks about the PCB-induced epidemic in Alabama.” —The Case of the Mute ScientistsAmerican Council on Science and Health)