Re: Microbiome Research Needs A Gut Check (Opinion, Oct. 12): I wholeheartedly agree that misinformation and misuse of science is a big problem in today’s society. However, I think it is unwise to suggest scientists “take extra care not to hype their work.”

If scientists are not willing or able to share their work with their peers and the general public, the entire structure of scientific inquiry would fall apart. If scientists don’t “hype their work,” they likely wouldn’t receive support and funding to continue pursuing their research, which means projects potentially leading to influential discoveries get cancelled.

Instead of what amounts to suppressing work, more effort should be made to improve communication between scientists and the public. We should encourage the scientific community to speak louder against the misuse of their findings, and to help stop the spread of misinformation that is beginning to endanger public health.

“Gut Checked” was originally published in The Globe and Mail’s Letters to the Editor section on October 18, 2019.