Science and Politics Should Remain Separate

The last few years have been a wild ride when it comes to politics and science.  I believe that COVID is what really caused things to go sideways.  Before COVID, the public generally trusted the scientific method (notwithstanding the conspiracy theorists.)  COVID brought about a clash between politics and science, primarily because our personal autonomy was infringed upon as a result of quarantine requirements and vaccine mandates.

Let me start by reminding readers that the CDC (Center for Disease Control) and the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) were created to keep Americans safe from diseases, and from snake oil salesmen.  The FDA came into being to combat unsafe food and medical products.  The CDC came into being to combat infectious outbreaks.  Since their creation, these entities have served as gatekeepers, ensuring safe food and medicine, and acting as a command and control center for disease outbreaks that could cause widespread loss of life.

COVID threw the system into chaos because of fear, uncertainty and doubt, all of which resulted from the unknown.  We were scared of widespread death, and we were told to isolate ourselves.  From a scientific perspective, this makes perfect sense!  Isolation is the single best method for containing contagion.  From there, the world started collectively working on a cure, though "remediation" is likely a more appropriate term.

The problem is that humans are social, short-sighted, and stupid.  We had too much time on our hands and access to too much incomplete information.  We forgot that the CDC's primary mission is to keep us safe.  They recommended isolation because they knew it would work.  They knew that COVID was lethal, but otherwise had precious little information.  Furthermore, scientists are a conservative bunch, and they want indisputable facts before reaching a conclusion and recommending a course of action.  One of the great things about scientists though, is that they are willing to revise their position based on additional information.  Unfortunately, that information came too slowly for the comfort of the spoiled, entitled American public.  It's also unfortunate that we realize in retrospect that we were unnecessarily cautious.

But it was too late.  The public rebelled.  We wanted to go out and play.  We wanted to socialize.  And we didn't want to inject an unknown magic cocktail into our bodies.  Sigh.  And, of course, the politicians and media had a field day!  A single swan song event undermined America's trust in science.

As a result, the current administration has installed a conspiracy theorist as the head of Health and Human Services.  He's saying that Tylenol causes autism, after he said that vaccines cause autism.  He claims that wireless technology causes cancer.  He claims that fluoride causes diseases. He claims that mass shootings are linked to prescription drugs.  He claims that seed oils are inherently unhealthy.  There has been study after study after study on all of this, and every... single... claim... has been debunked by science.  RFK is not a scientist.  He is an attorney.  Taking his word with zero skepticism is no different than listening to your doctor over your mechanic about a car problem.

At the end of the day, we, the American people, somehow lost our collective way and started listening to politicians over scientists in this arena.  And we're doing this with the full understanding that politicians lie to further their self interests.  Politicians will do anything to get re-elected.  Meanwhile, scientists are pursuing a lifelong passion.  I encourage you to ask yourself who you should believe, and I exhort you to advocate the concept that science and politics should remain separate.

[EDIT:] I'd like to also point out that the US considered the measles eliminated in 2000, yet here we are a mere 25 years later, experiencing multiple outbreaks.  While I am not an epidemiologist and cannot validate causation, I must admit that I find the correlation noteworthy.