13 April 2008

An example for currupt researchers

A paper in the American Journal of Epidemiology written by Jarmo Virtamo and his clique from Finland, says that "Drinking Beer Reduces the Risk of Kidney Stones".

Even a dumb ass like me would immeditely ask a question. Did the study test the subjects against the same amount of water? Even a kid knows dehydration is the primary casue of renal calculus (renal calculus is a term medicos use, to make sure others do not understand them. engineers and lawyers and almost everyone uses this trick to hold on to their job!). So, any study should make sure that general fluid intake will not confound the factor under investigation.

Now, read the paper. Look at the page 188, 2nd Column, First Paragraph, Last two lines. It reads "... other than water per se, since
drinking water was not included in the questionnaire.".

What they said in those brief phrases is another way of saying that, "the alcohol bevarage idustry paid us to produce these results". What about the reviewers in the AJE? How many gallons of acetylecholines should be running in their heads to accept this study? Or was it just a few tins of free Stella Atwa thrown at them to make them publish this "research".

Hey progressive people, and liberals born in the dust filled libraries, do not cite this paper! Go out and get a life!!!

5 comments:

  1. this reminds me of "cargo Cult Science" (here is a online ver. http://wwwcdf.pd.infn.it/~loreti/science.html
    ) The book itself is a wonderful read.

    Ravee

    ReplyDelete
  2. thanksu. we discussed it in the lab one day. but have not read the book! thanks for letting me know.

    ReplyDelete
  3. there's another one "Feynman's Rainbow" by Leonard Mlodinow

    Absolute Delight.

    ReplyDelete
  4. will look for it. thsnksu. about physics?

    ReplyDelete
  5. nope... tis about beauty in this world :)

    ReplyDelete

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