[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by mikeod

Good points. Early in my training, it was emphasized that the results of a well-designed and executed study should be able to be duplicated by a follow-up study similarly designed and run. Unless the results of study were confirmed by subsequent studies, the results of the first study were simply points of interest needing to be confirmed or refuted by subsequent studies. And the source of funding for a study also should be investigated before taking the results to heart. Remember the studies done by the tobacco companies stating that smoking isn't related to the onset of lung cancer.

Unfortunately, there are untold numbers of news stories that take these unconfirmed results and trumpet them as factual. This leads to confusion and, sometimes worse, action taken that may be counterproductive or dangerous.

Well said. Very well said indeed.