In an article for the newspaper La Verità dated August 22, 2025, Mariano Bizzarri, professor at the Department of Experimental Medicine at La Sapienza University of Rome, argues that science is fundamentally a process of doubt and questioning, not a system of established truths. The author criticizes the dogmatic presentation of scientific findings, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and calls for a return to open debate and intellectual honesty.
The article begins by citing philosopher Karl Popper, stating that science consists of tentative assertions, not absolute certainties. Professor Bizzarri contends that the phrase “science says so” is a “joke,” as the scientific method relies on systematic doubt to challenge and refine existing knowledge. He points to a “reproducibility crisis,” noting that over 10,000 scientific articles were retracted in 2023 alone, as evidence that scientific results are not infallible.
Prof.Bizzarri argues that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the fundamental principles of scientific research were “systematically violated” to serve political agendas. His critique includes points on misleading communication, where research findings were often presented to the public by magnifying partial results and manipulating data.
Science is doubt, enough with obligations
A prominent example cited is the withdrawal of a fraudulent study that dismissed the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine. He also mentions the silencing of dissent, where critical voices within the scientific community were ridiculed or ignored, and professional retaliation against doctors who questioned official data. Lastly, he points to the role of the media in contributing to this climate by defaming qualified specialists while promoting so-called ‘experts’.
The author calls on the Italian Minister of Health, Orazio Schillaci, to address the “serious problem of adverse vaccine effects,” citing an “imposing” body of literature and data from Pfizer. He questions why the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) does not publish certain data and why experts with differing views, such as Dr. Maurizio Federico, a former director at the National Institute of Health, are not consulted. Prof.Bizzarri suggests the Minister should promote a public conference to allow scientists from all sides to finally “express themselves and debate”.
Prof.Bizzarri concludes by emphasizing that medicine is a technique based on science where the ultimate goal is the human being. He asserts that a therapeutic relationship cannot exist without the patient’s cooperation. A doctor, he writes, must work with the patient, not against them, and must not impose obligations that contradict the principles of both science and democracy.
Source – La Verità