BMJ October 3, 2022
Jarman and colleagues discuss why science and medical advisers must be separate from government decisions and emphasise that the system must be transparent—thank you for addressing the elephant in the room.1
Throughout the covid-19 pandemic, the chief medical officer for England and the UK’s chief scientific adviser stood side by side with the prime minister during televised press briefings. The government’s restrictions became synonymous with science.
The public was told that advice was guided by science, and they often believed it. So when things went wrong—the death toll was rising and new variants were emerging—people questioned not only politicians but also science.
The breakdown in the relationship between the public and science was seen in the rollout...
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