The provided text, excerpts from Ben Goldacre's Bad Science, offers a sharp critique of pseudoscience, misinformation, and the flawed reporting of scientific data in the media. Goldacre systematically examines various topics, including dubious alternative therapies like homeopathy and detox products, the exaggerated claims of the food supplement industry regarding items like fish oils and antioxidants, and the pervasive logical fallacies that undermine public understanding of evidence. The author emphasizes the importance of scientific literacy and critical appraisal of evidence, demonstrating how factors like publication bias, the placebo effect, and manipulative marketing tactics distort information. Furthermore, the text details the dangers of health scares, such as the MMR vaccine controversy, often fueled by journalistic ineptitude and a failure to accurately report risk and causality.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.