Health marketing lives on a specific trick: quoting the relative risk reduction without the absolute. “Reduces your risk by 40%” can describe a decline from 4% to 2.4% — meaningful at population scale, modest for one person. Both numbers are true; only one is useful to you.
The second pattern to watch is the association dressed as cause. “People who X live longer” does not mean X causes longer life — the people who X may differ in a dozen other ways. Randomised evidence is the dividing line, and it is worth asking which side any claim falls on.
Key points
- Always ask for the absolute risk, not just the relative.
- Ask whether the evidence is observational or randomised.
- Be sceptical of biomarkers sold before they are validated.
This is the lens we apply to our own communications. It is also why we can tell you, without hedging: we do not promise longevity. Anyone who does is quoting marketing, not medicine.
Nordic Quantified Editorial · These articles are editorial content, not medical advice. They do not create a physician–patient relationship. Consult a qualified physician about your personal situation.
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