[neutrality]

The only time such an argument won't be fallacious is when the consensus is one of individual authorities and thus the argument meets the same basic standards required of the general Argument from Authority. For example, an argument about the nature of lung cancer based upon the published opinions of most cancer researchers would carry real weight and would not be fallacious.

[frgoff]

For example, an argument about the nature of lung cancer based upon the published opinions of most cancer researchers would carry real weight and would not be fallacious.

Read a medical journal some time. The nature of lung cancer is not based on the published opinions of cancer researchers (note the word research). It is based on the experimental findings of lung cancer researchers (note that pesky word research again). Research which has been independently verified. Any researcher who simply stated it was his opinion that lung cancer was x would never get published. You see, he has to back it up with experimental evidence.