Meta-Research Debunks Medical Study Findings 261
jenningsthecat writes "From The Atlantic comes the story of John Ioannidis and his team of meta-researchers, who have studied the overall state of medical research and found it dangerously and widely lacking in trustworthiness. Even after filtering out the journalistic frippery and hyperbole, the story is pretty disturbing. Some points made in the article: even the most respected, widely accepted, peer-reviewed medical studies are all-too-often deeply flawed or outright wrong; when an error is brought to light and the conclusions publicly refuted, the erroneous conclusions often persist and are cited as valid for years, or even decades; scientists and researchers themselves regard peer review as providing 'only a minimal assurance of quality'; and these shortcomings apply to medical research across the board, not just to blatantly self-serving pharmaceutical industry studies. The article concludes by saying, 'Science is a noble endeavor, but it's also a low-yield endeavor ... I'm not sure that more than a very small percentage of medical research is ever likely to lead to major improvements in clinical outcomes and quality of life.' I've always been somewhat suspicious of research findings, but before this article I had no idea just how prevalent untrustworthy results were."
Re:Reality check (Score:2, Funny)
In further news, Meta-Meta-Research Debunks Meta-Research Study Findings...
Study shows (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Reality check (Score:5, Funny)
Over time I became immune to placebos, I now take Extra-Strength Placebos (liqui-gels). Twice the inert ingredients!
Re:We've known this for years (Score:5, Funny)
I'd replace item C with regular fucking. Don't see the quacks, just fuck someone. Chiropractors are worthless and evil. Fucking is fucking AWESOME!
Re:Reality check (Score:4, Funny)
Over time I became immune to placebos, I now take Extra-Strength Placebos (liqui-gels). Twice the inert ingredients!
I only use homeopathic remedies.
Now with 1000x less inert ingredients!
Re:We've known this for years (Score:4, Funny)
I'm a firm believer in Homoeopathy. I don't believe in all of it though, just a homoeopathic proportion of its principles.
Re:Reality check (Score:3, Funny)
Idiot. Everyone knows that homeopathic placebos don't work as well as real placebos. They dilute them so much, there's no placebo left in them!