Question

You read the following advertisement about a supplement you can take to prevent colds.

"Our product is guaranteed to help you not get sick! Our product contains certain vitamins, minerals, and herbal extracts that support the immune system. Scientific studies and medical journals have shown that our products have key ingredients to support the immune system."

Should you take this supplement? Demonstrate how you can use science to make this choice.

Answer 1

@Preetha can you help with this?

Answer 2

This problem is simply testing your ability to use critical thinking.

First off you should dissect what is written:

"Our product is guaranteed to help you not get sick! Our product contains certain vitamins, minerals, and herbal extracts that support the immune system. Scientific studies and medical journals have shown that our products have key ingredients to support the immune system."

Who is making this guarantee? A promise is only as good as the person/company it comes from.

Secondly you can look for articles published by academic journals for studies testing effects of either this product or the key ingredients it claims to have. You can read the medical journals and scientific studies to see if their claims justified (for example how did they determine that these ingredients reduce the chance someone will get sick if they had 3 people in their study its not really accurate). Also make sure that the people funding these studies are not the company that is selling the supplement.

You can access research done by scientists and medical doctors to determine if their claims are honest by using your own intelligence.

Answer 3

Hi

Answer 4

hi :)