Beyond Belief: How medicine embraced evidence - and what comes next

At a moment when health systems face mounting pressure to do more with less, and when trust in institutions and expertise is increasingly fragile, the question of how we know what actually works has never felt more urgent.

LSE Health is delighted to welcome science journalist and author Helen Pearson to discuss her acclaimed book, Beyond Belief: How Evidence Shows What Really Works, which charts the remarkable rise of evidence-based thinking: from its roots in medicine to its growing influence across public policy, government, education, and beyond. From randomised controlled trials that upended decades of received medical wisdom, to the slow but steady spread of rigorous evaluation into criminal justice, welfare reform, and public health, Pearson's book traces how a quiet revolution in evidence has reshaped the way we make decisions, and why it matters enormously that we defend and deepen it.

For students and scholars of health policy, the book raises questions that sit at the heart of the discipline: How do we translate evidence into practice? What happens when robust findings collide with political realities? And how do we build systems — and cultures — that are genuinely committed to learning what works?

Join us for what promises to be a timely and thought-provoking conversation, followed by an audience Q&A. Afterwards, we invite you to continue the discussion at a drinks reception, where copies of Beyond Belief will also be available to purchase and signed by the author.

About the chair and speakers

Helen Pearson is a journalist and editor for Nature, the world’s leading science journal. She has more than 20 years’ experience in science journalism, including five years as Nature’s Chief Magazine Editor. She has won multiple awards, including European Science Journalist of the Year 2025 and Editor of the Year 2022 at the Association of British Science Writers’ awards. She is an Honorary Professor at University College London, where she teaches science writing. Her first book, The Life Project, was named best science book of the year by The Observer and was a book of the year for The Economist. Her second book, Beyond Belief: How Evidence Shows What Really Works, will be published 28th April 2026. She has a degree in natural sciences from the University of Cambridge and a PhD in genetics from the University of Edinburgh.

Deborah Cohen is a medically qualified broadcaster, journalist, and editor whose investigations have led to major changes in health policy worldwide. She established the investigations unit at The BMJ, served as Science Editor of ITV News and Health Correspondent for BBC Newsnight, and has produced major investigations for BBC Panorama, Channel 4 Dispatches, and others.

Huseyin Naci is Associate Professor of Health Policy at LSE Health and Director of the Pharmaceutical Policy Lab. His research focuses on pharmaceutical policy, health technology assessment, and evidence-based healthcare decision-making. He will chair this discussion.

From time to time there are changes to event details so we strongly recommend that if you plan to attend this event you check back on this listing on the day of the event.

LSE holds a wide range of events, covering many of the most controversial issues of the day, and speakers at our events may express views that cause offence. The views expressed by speakers at LSE events do not reflect the position or views of the London School of Economics and Political Science.