FactMed applies a single analytical methodology aimed at examining the relationship between scientific evidence and the language used to present it, with particular attention to how limited findings are expanded into broader narratives or decisions.
The analytical methodology itself is described in detail on the How We Work page.
This page explains how that methodology is structured and applied within the project.
FactMed is organized into two units not because of a difference in purpose or method, but as a structural choice that allows the same analytical framework to be applied across different contexts of discourse and impact.
Why Two Units?
FactMed addresses a single methodological problem, expressed across two distinct contexts of discourse and impact.
Level One: Public-Facing Health Claims
This level includes health claims circulating in the public sphere, particularly those that:
- spread through media and social platforms
- are framed in simplified or definitive language
- influence public understanding of science and health
This context requires:
- accessible analytical language
- a non-adversarial tone
- emphasis on evidentiary limits without assuming technical expertise
Level Two: Claims Influencing Institutional and Funding Decisions
This level includes claims that:
- are used to justify institutional decisions
- influence funding priorities and program design
- underpin large-scale strategies or interventions
This context requires:
- careful analysis of the relationship between evidence and decision-making
- precise institutional language without prescriptive intent
- identification of gaps between what evidence supports and what decisions imply
Why the Separation?
The separation into two units is a structural and methodological choice intended to:
- ensure context-appropriate language without oversimplification or unnecessary complexity
- preserve analytical clarity
- prevent conflation between public discourse analysis and institutional decision analysis
- enable closer examination of how evidence translation operates at different levels of impact
This distinction does not reflect a difference in purpose or methodology,
but a difference in context and decision relevance.
FactMed applies one analytical framework,
implemented through two complementary units to maintain rigor and clarity.