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medpundit |
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Wednesday, October 23, 2002The scientific method does not mean, "Hypothesis -- study -- results -- the end"! Usually the process goes along the lines of "hypothesis -- study -- results -- controversy -- debate -- new study -- theory -- more studies -- more debate -- altered theory -- more studies -- new theories -- and on and on until at some point the vast majority of scientists agree that the data support the current theory". Usually these studies are not intended for direct public consumption and real-world application. That's part of the reason people consult physicians. Unfortunately, a lot of physicians are no better at applying the studies than the media or the general public. I’m beginning to see a lot of women return from visits with cardiologists, endocrinologists, and gynecologists who tell me the doctors told them to stop their hormone replacement therapy because it caused heart attacks and breast cancer. In all the cases it was done without discussing the patient’s preferences, or the actual results of the Women’s Health Initiative study. Too often, doctors get lazy and adopt the media’s interpretation of study results. posted by Sydney on 10/23/2002 07:41:00 AM 0 comments 0 Comments: |
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