Why we should expect scientists to disagree about antibiotic resistance

On numerous matters including food, health and the environment, experts are called upon to communicate the implications of scientific evidence for particular choices. It may be tempting to highlight simple messages from complex evidence. But as the recent controversy over advice on antibiotics shows, there is a risk of such messages backfiring when new evidence comes to light. So in these fractious times of “alternative facts”, how best can experts build trust with the public?

Evidence provided by science is often mixed, incomplete, changeable or conditional on context. Yet experts are expected to stick to