‘Ask For Evidence’ Helps You Challenge Bogus Health Claims

‘Ask For Evidence’ Helps You Challenge Bogus Health Claims

Questionable health claims, such as a cafe saying a certain juice will “detox” you, may leave you rolling your eyes at the people who fall for them — and maybe secretly wondering if they’re true. British website Ask for Evidence gives you a way to question that questionable advice.

On the site, you can report a doubtful claim, along with details of the store, person or publication making that claim. The site helps you find the company’s contact information, and you can (if you choose) make your request public, which starts a mini-blog about your mini-crusade for truth. Ask for Evidence also has a library of information to help you make sense of the response, which you’re encouraged to post along with your conclusions.

The site has only been around for a few months, but it’s already collecting success stories. One cafe stopped giving out leaflets that claimed their juice could reverse the effects of smoking. An eyeglass store promised to launch an investigation and update their staff training after a salesperson told a customer her vision would deteriorate if she didn’t buy certain glasses.

Of course, you don’t need a special web site to ask for evidence. You can make your request publicly with Twitter or Facebook, if the company is active there, or you can make it privately for your own peace of mind — a great thing to do for weird-sounding advice from a doctor or personal trainer. There’s often good evidence behind the weird advice, and a professional would be glad to share it with you. And if not — well, now you know.

Ask for Evidence

Picture: Duncan Hull/Flickr


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