In acute respiratory failure, do not let a non-inferiority headline flatten the physiology. Non-invasive ventilation still leads for COPD with hypercapnic acidosis and cardiogenic pulmonary oedema, while high-flow nasal oxygen suits prolonged hypoxaemic illness or poor mask tolerance, with early review of work of breathing and gas trend.

Fast-moving evidence needs a system, not ad hoc updates. Pre-register the protocol, define update triggers and use AI with human oversight when building living evidence syntheses, especially in policy-facing topics such as medications for opioid use disorder.

When discussing vaccines or other contested health topics, start by asking what the person has heard and what matters to them. Plain language, absolute risks, and transparent uncertainty work better than jargon, certainty, or labels that shame people into silence.