Evidence is all around us, all the time, and useful evidence in relation to the effectiveness and/or safety of pharmaceutical products (the specific topic under discussion here), is available to every user of a product, to every prescriber of a product, to every family member or close friend or associate of a user of a product, should any of those individuals choose to pay attention.
Evidence is that which is seen, and it is typical of an expert class that they wish the rest of us to think that the only evidence which *counts* is that which is hidden to the ordinary person, but miraculously revealed to the credentialled expert.
And, finally, what experts choose to tell us, when they've expensively controlled the variables, and compiled the statistics, and presented them to their peers, may STILL fail to convince, if it contradicts what ordinary people can easily *see* happening all around them.
Re: 24-5 flu vaccine study
Evidence is all around us, all the time, and useful evidence in relation to the effectiveness and/or safety of pharmaceutical products (the specific topic under discussion here), is available to every user of a product, to every prescriber of a product, to every family member or close friend or associate of a user of a product, should any of those individuals choose to pay attention.
Evidence is that which is seen, and it is typical of an expert class that they wish the rest of us to think that the only evidence which *counts* is that which is hidden to the ordinary person, but miraculously revealed to the credentialled expert.
But, you know, "the plural of anecdote IS data" (as Raymond Wolfinger *actually* said - though he is frequently misquoted - http://blog.danwin.com/don-t-forget-the-plural-of-anecdote-is-data/); and likewise, "the singular of data is anecdote" (as this blogger muses - https://blogs.iq.harvard.edu/the_singular_of), which means that evidence is what any of us may SEE, if we choose to pay attention.
And, finally, what experts choose to tell us, when they've expensively controlled the variables, and compiled the statistics, and presented them to their peers, may STILL fail to convince, if it contradicts what ordinary people can easily *see* happening all around them.