A blog post on blog posts: Fact, fiction, and friction

A blog by definition is a regularly updated website or web page, typically one run by an individual or group, and is written in an informal or conversational style. As with any conversation, there is usually a blend of fact and opinion. In the case of a blog on medical topics, frequently the opinions are those of experts, and it is not uncommon for such opinions to lead to healthy debate. Fake news or skewed views? We make many decisions on the basis of research studies, and this is particularly the case in medicine. The non-medical media often does a good job of sensationalizing research in ways that are at times excessive. A new drug or device is labeled a breakthrough treatment on the front page of the newspaper, when in fact the supporting evidence of effectiveness was modest at best and only relevant for a small subset of patients with the least prominent form of the disease. A commonly consumed food is labeled a risk factor for cancer in humans, when in fact the study involved only rats with two million times the exposure a human would have in a lifetime. As you can tell, it can be a rat race in more ways than one. When not caring for patients, physicians spend countless hours reading journals to learn about new therapeutic options and trends in medicine. Physicians in particular must read with a critical eye. It is often not difficult to manipulate study parameters or statistics in order to demonstrate a particular finding in a study. For example, let’s say there is ...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Health Source Type: blogs