It may be a sign of our times that a short attention span is also reflected in the work of contemporary scientists who find neither the time nor the energy to look at the available evidence before they set out to conduct more research or formulate their statements. The inconvenience of having many of the works published only in the French or German language translates into the denial of the existence of these works. Because there is no truly academic foundation for aromatherapy, especially in our English-speaking environment, some who claim to be scientific get away with something more aptly called xenophobic indolence, the utter disregard for results published in other languages. Sadly, what in truth is a flawed scientific procedure is presented as objective truth. Some protest that many of these studies are dated and therefore potentially obsolete, but this ignores the fact that observed empirical effects are as true today as they ever were.
Empirical observations stand regardless of the changing fashion of analytical gadgetry.
A substantial body of scientific studies already exists, which provides a perfect pharmacological rationale for many of the applications of essential oils. If anyone had the desire to search the relevant databases for published studies on essential-oil pharmacology, he or she would find that much of what is claimed is already scientifically proven. It is virtually inconceivable for academic scientists trying to conduct clean and credible research to suggest that there is no scientific corroboration for the effects of aromatherapy. Ignoring it amounts to bad science. An examination of the blessings progress has brought is a scary enterprise.