Why is it crucial to steer clear of judgemental approaches, dogmas, the risk of artificial "intelligence" hallucinations, ideas based on bluster and grandstanding, even the whims of megalomaniacs (see "Public health under attack, in the US and beyond", Prescrire Int June 2026)? Because what the public truly needs is information that has undergone rigorous and systematic fact-checking, from independent media sources that consciously eschew political or financial lobbying, made up of teams that value critical thinking, rationality, altruism and solidarity above all. And what patients need are health professionals who bring reliable data to the shared decision-making process, who strive to work together with patients rather than impose overarching authority.

How do we combine methodological rigour and honesty to embrace science that is both rational and as open to refutation as it is to discovery? First and foremost, by asking the right questions and reflecting on the issues that matter to patients. Then, by turning to the scientific data, to the hard facts; examining, sorting, analysing and distilling them, drawing connections, and developing succinct resources that are useful to healthcare professionals, all while citing our sources. Because a landscape grounded in fact grants each of us the freedom to investigate and verify.

When it comes to health care, the approach and methodology behind Prescrire's advice forms that grounded landscape. This is what enables Prescrire to produce evidence-based content on drugs and patient care, including: ratings of the degree to which new products represent a therapeutic advance in specific indications, an annual review of drugs to avoid, and support with sifting through new data to identify robust information that shifts treatment choices – all informed by developments in pharmacovigilance and careful consideration of the context in which treatments are likely to be used.

For those driven by the goal of improving patient care, Prescrire is a trustworthy companion to health professionals and patients alike.

 ©Prescrire 1 July 2026

Source: "A trustworthy companion" Prescrire Int 2026; 35 (283): 171. FREE.