Abstract

The paper explores public trust and specifically mistrust (O’Neil, 2002a,b,c). It considers that public policy responses to mistrust, through metric driven accountability and calls for trans- parency may unintentionally foster distrust. The paper explores the public’s mistrust of scientists and the development of science communication as a response and questions the consequences of this. Taking the insights from this review the paper closes outlining an intervention which has been developing for biomedical scientists which intends developing their capacity for trust based relationships and communication with publics.