Scientist of the Invisible

"Somehow, inexplicably, a customer satisfaction survey from a homeopathy clinic is promoted in the media as if it trumps a string of randomised trials. No wonder the public find it hard to understand medical research. Almost every time you read about a "trial" in the media, it is some bogus fish oil "trial" that isn't really a "trial", or a homeopath waving their hands about, because the media finds a colourful quack claim more interesting than genuine, cautious, bland, plodding medical research.

By pushing their product relentlessly with this scientific flim-flam, homeopaths undermine the public understanding of what it means to have an evidence base for a treatment. Worst of all, they do this at the very time when academics are working harder than ever to engage the public in a genuine collective ownership and understanding of clinical research, and when most good doctors are trying to educate and involve their patients in the selection of difficult treatment options. This is not a nerdy point. This is vital."

Ben Goldacre is boos. Boos op de homeopaten en boos op de media. Hij legt in The Guardian nog maar weer eens uit hoe je een goed medisch onderzoek opzet en waarom het zo moet en niet anders.

Goldacre heeft ook een website, badscience.net, waar hij gehakt maakt van bijvoorbeeld weer eens het zoveelste onderzoek dat seksisme verkoopt onder de naam 'evolutionaire psychologie'.

This entry was posted on 21.11.07 at 13:09. You can skip to the end and leave a response.