We are being inundated with stories about “studies” that make startling and contradictory claims about everyday products. Many are demonstrably false, peddled by activist groups. Still others are based on poor quality science or research aimed at frightening people about everyday foods and drinks that have never been proven to be harmful.

The Center for Accountability in Science is speaking out about it.

Joseph Perrone, chief science officer at the center, explained to The Hill that lawmakers are abandoning their duty to investigate claims against products and nutrients.

“Unfortunately, an increasing number of policymakers are turning away from sound science and embracing so-called ‘right to know’ laws that raise consumer alarm about essentially nonexistent dangers,” he said.

Genetically modified foods, or GMOs, are a good example of government throwing up its hands and shirking its function to check things out.

“A long list of venerable health organizations and national academies of science confirm GMOs pose no risk to human health or the environment,” Perrone said. “Still, from Vermont to Hawaii, lawmakers have ignored science and instead sided with activist groups who continue to insist the risks to our health are ‘unknown’ and therefore unreasonable.”

The beverage industry is all too familiar with bad science skewing nutrition policy. This year the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee warned of potential dangers related to low- and no-calorie sweeteners despite repeated confirmation of their safety by the Food and Drug Administration and numerous other regulatory agencies around the globe.

“Lawmakers have a responsibility to consider the well-researched opinions of scientific experts,” states Perrone. “Scaring consumers about risks that don’t exist may help activist groups raise money and politicians get elected, but it does nothing to improve public knowledge, safety, and health.”

It’s simple - lawmakers need to listen to the totality of scientific evidence when forming policies. When they abandon this responsibility we get wrong advice like we did with foods containing cholesterol like eggs, once demonized as affecting cholesterol levels in the blood even though there was plenty of scientific evidence that such was not the case.

To learn more about the science behind our products and the ingredients they contain, visit LetsClearItUp.org.