[trbell]

this is from a recent article Poor-Quality Medical Research What Can Journals Do? Douglas G. Altman, DSc The aim of medical research is to advance scientific knowledge and hencedirectly or indirectlylead to improvements in the treatment and prevention of disease. Each research project should continue systematically from previous research and feed into future research. Each project should contribute beneficially to a slowly evolving body of research. A study should not mislead; otherwise it could adversely affect clinical practice and future research. In 1994 I observed that research papers commonly contain methodological errors, report results selectively, and draw unjustified conclusions. Here I revisit the topic and suggest how journal editors can help.JAMA. 2002;287:2765-2767you have to pay for the whole thing but if even JAMA has concerns about researchit's hard to trust what you read on the web from one or two articles.tom

 

[JeanG]

Which is exactly why I am always posting FDA and FTC articles on medical fraud, Tom. If JAMA finds problems, it should make us even more careful about the quacks that prey on individuals on websites.JeanG

 

[bellyknot]

Have you ever been enrolled in a clinical trial? I was very surprised at what kind of questions they asked for my 4 month call in interview during the Dexloxiglumide trial. I don't know how they ever came up with any complete data by asking such generalized questions. The visits were the same way, any extra imput I had just seemed to get a "shrugged" reaction.

 

[trbell]

JeanG, keep posting! this is a big controversy scientifically and especially applies in IBS where there's a lot of recent research people and news sources tend to pick up bits and pieces.BellyKnot, can you give us more info on the dexlox study? I couldn't get into the two in my state because of the computer screening and the only reson I can think of is my sex or age. Maybe in the zelnorm forum?tom

 

[K9Mom]

I research one subject in medical journals and one subject only...Graves disease. I can cite at least 5 different published journal articles that are in direct conflict with each other and come to opposing conclusions on the same subject. I've learned that the MOST important thing to look for when reading these is WHO is funding the study and WHAT do they have to GAIN by the findings. Finding credible, unbiased, scientific information is not easy. I've resorted to reading it all and then going with my gut instinct based on the truth that I know about my disease.Tom, as a side note, I've run across a NEJM editorial that specifically speaks to the dirty underbelly of pharmacuetical funded research in regard to the Synthroid controversy. NEJM editor blasted the deliberate withholding of studies done that eventually led to Synthroid's stability and "superior status" being questioned.

 

[trbell]

K9Mom, Thanks. It is very important for people to look at who funds the research. this also doesn't mean that all research is bad. Most scientists are aware of the problems and also most doctors and this is one of the reasons they won't believe stuff until there are several studies in peer-reviewed journals.You can be fairly sure that what gets into JAMA, The lancet, and the New England Journal is 'good' research as they just agrred on publication policies to combat this a couple of months ago.tom

 

[Mike NoLomotil]

and further on....today... _____________________________ http://wire.ap.org/APnews/?SITE=ILLIN&FRONTID=HOME JUNE 05, 01:37 ET AMA Journal Critiques Report Data By LINDSEY TANNER AP Medical Writer Excerpted:"CHICAGO (AP) - The Journal of the American Medical Association has put aside presenting medical advances this week to turn a critical eye on itself, finding imperfections in the way it and other medical journals report scientific research. JAMA's latest issue says journal studies are sometimes misleading and frequently fail to disclose weaknesses and disagreements among authors, while news releases some journals prepare often don't mention study limitations or industry funding. Some problems can be traced to biases and conflicts of interest among peer reviewers, who are outside scientists tapped by journal editors to help decide whether a research paper should be published, according to several of the JAMA articles. "and further on...."DeAngelis said problems are most likely to occur in research funded by drug companies, which have a vested interest in findings that make their products look good. Journal editors are concerned that manufacturers sometimes unduly influence how researchers report study results, and even suppress unfavorable findings. Many top journals require researchers to disclose any ties to drug companies, and Dr. Jeffrey Drazen, editor of the New England Journal of Medicine, said editors rely on researchers to be truthful. " ________________________________Click the link and sneak a peek into the real world....defined by "quid pro quo"...MNL

 

[trbell]

o MANY WIDELY REPORTED MEDICAL STUDIES ARE NEVER PUBLISHED, say experts, and should not have received the press attention they did....JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION/WALL STREET JOURNALthis from a respected news source. I think it explains to some extent what I and jeanG and others are concerned about with internet and other news stories.tom