Science Is Just Another Opinion: Making Medical Stories Count Post-COVID-19.

Science is facing a turbulent backlash in which it is often viewed as "just another opinion" among many competing unscientifically backed anecdotes. In these unprecedented times of the COVID-19 pandemic, when guidance from public health epidemiologists and administrators is critical, it is incumbent on all of us to consider how we can use data to tell emotionally compelling stories aimed at improving public health. When informing the public about COVID-19 and other pressing public health issues, the author argues that we must begin with emotionally captivating stories, grounded in science. Supporting this approach is the work of psychologist Paul Slovic, who has shown that human beings are not only hard-wired to be story-driven, but that we are not, in general, moved by data. The challenge, then, is to tell emotionally captivating stories supported by data, especially in these divisive times.

Physicians Can Impact Patient Health.

Sugar-sweetened beverages account for nearly half the sugar Americans consume, at a time when over one-third of the population is obese and over two-thirds are considered overweight. To help reduce the health risks associated with obesity, physicians should consider targeting the one culprit most responsible for adding non-nutritional calories to the diet: sugar-sweetened soda. By helping patients to reduce or eliminate soda consumption, physicians can make a tremendous contribution to addressing the obesity crisis in the United States. The author offers suggestions for helping physicians to provide concrete steps their patients can use to decrease soda in their diets.

First, do no harm.

In a television news documentary series such as Boston Med, doctors' duty to their patients may be at odds with the duty of TV journalists to their audience. If this happens, who should win out? The patients. If there is any possibility that harm is being done to patients, we must put them first, and turn off the cameras.