Can the CDC Ever Be Wrong? How Understanding the Depravity of Man Helps Us Rightly Evaluate Public Health Recommendations
Failure to acknowledge that public health officials can be wrong and could be misleading the public, whether intentionally or unintentionally, is more dangerous than many understand.
One thing I have not understood ever since the spring is the unwavering trust that many people place in government officials, particularly public health officials. To be clear, I can understand the desire to defer to individuals who know more than we do on any given topic, and it is often wise to listen to the counsel of experts. But what I have not understood is what seems to be an unyielding and almost absolute trust in government or public health officials. Again, to be clear, I am not claiming here that Dr. Fauci (NIH), Dr. Redfield (CDC), or any other public health officials are corrupt or that they are deliberately misleading the public. But what seems dangerous to me is the failure to acknowledge that public health officials can be wrong and could be misleading the public, whether intentionally or unintentionally. ALL people are fallible and can be wrong. Doctors and scientists, pastors and teachers, Republicans and Democrats—all people are fallible, including you and me. In light of this fallibility, it would be dangerous to assume that I am always right, and it would be similarly dangerous to assume that anyone else is always right, no matter how smart, kind, or educated.
As a Christian, recognizing just how fallible we all are serves as a reminder that I cannot and should not put my ultimate hope and trust in other people:
“Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish” (Psalm 146:3-4).
Should I consider the recommendations of experts in various fields? Absolutely. Should my ultimate hope and trust be in government agencies, public health officials, doctors, or scientists? Absolutely not. Should I consider the counsel of public health officials? Yes. Should I accept the recommendations of these officials without thinking or recognizing they could be wrong? I believe the answer to that question is “no.”
My purpose in writing this post is not to challenge any particular recommendation or conclusion; rather, my aim is to encourage others to evaluate the recommendations and claims made by various agencies and officials and to humbly consider whether their recommendations reflect the best scientific evidence. Moreover, experts of all kinds can very easily become myopically focused on problems related to their disciplines and may fail to consider the many counterbalancing concerns and interests that their recommendations may affect. As just one example, lockdowns and stay-at-home orders, while arguably well intentioned, have exacted a terrible toll on the many people who cannot work from home and whose livelihoods depend on a normally functioning society (e.g., restaurant workers, small business owners, etc.). Another example is the millions and millions of people throughout the world who have been thrust into poverty because of government lockdowns. Many of these people are on the brink of starvation, and many will die in the coming months as a result of these government policies, even though the policies were arguably well intentioned (though not necessarily driven by scientific evidence).
I’ll end with a simple question: Can the CDC be wrong? Or DHEC? Or other public health agencies or officials? If I hesitate to respond “yes,” then I should reevaluate whether my beliefs about individuals who work for these agencies align with what we know to be true about all people—that they are fallible and can be wrong. If I do answer “yes” and understand that even public health officials can be wrong, hopefully this helps see more clearly the need to honestly and humbly evaluate claims and recommendations made by these officials and compare them to all of the available evidence. And if there are some who dissent from the recommendations of these officials and who argue for alternative public health strategies, it would likely be wise to listen to what they have to say, especially if they are experts in the same field. Perhaps the question I asked could be reversed: Can those who disagree with the recommendations of the CDC ever be right? If the automatic response to this question is “no,” then I should again reevaluate whether I believe all people can be wrong.
One further note: If I do not believe that the CDC, DHEC, or other public health agencies can be wrong (and that in turn those who disagree with these agencies can never be right), I should consider on what basis I believe this to be true. Is it because the CDC, DHEC, and other public health agencies always, without fail, rightly interpret and apply scientific studies and evidence? Or is it because I have unknowingly become religiously devoted to these agencies and their officials, believing that they are infallible in their recommendations? For some, to ask this last question is to answer it.
If we are truly seeking what is true and best for countless people who are affected by public health recommendations, we must carefully consider these questions. If public health agencies and officials truly are infallible, then censoring all dissenting opinions could possibly make sense (though I still would be strongly opposed to such censorship). But if it’s possible that public health agencies and officials can be wrong and that those who offer dissenting opinions could be right, then we should listen to the arguments and recommendations of both public health officials and those who propose alternative recommendations. Carefully considering all of the evidence without assuming that any particular position is automatically correct will help us make truly informed decisions and, Lord-willing, care for others in the best possible way.