>It appears that their strategy is to 
>repeat the same statement so many times that it becomes accepted as 
>truth. The strategy makes sense. It has worked for pharmaceutical 
>companies on their serum cholesterol scam, the manufacturers of sun 
>screen, and for agribusiness as they have shifted our eating habits to 
>current self-destructive practices through touting grains, dairy, soy, 
>etc. as healthy foods while denigrating meats and fats.
>
>I don't know which is worse, the researchers that shill for these 
>vested-interest groups, or the gullible sheep who, despite years of 
>education in physiology and biology, and without a moment's critical 
>thought, accept such claims at face value and visit derivative faulty 
>information on their customers/clients/patients.

There is an article here that goes into some detail about how these misguided consensuses are reached and maintained:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/09/science/09tier.html

Keith