"The very reason such checks as peer review are built into science is because scientists do recognized their own fallibility and tendencies to bias."
There are many examples which have been pointed out on these threads which go against your statement. From global warming and medical research come the most spectacular examples of people who have peer reviewed studies which are designed to show an outcome which the researcher desires.
IMHO I think the general public turns a very skeptic eye toward the supposed unbiased reasearch from today's science community.