Marketing studies and scientific research must be distinct

doi:10.1136/bmj.322.7296.1249

BMJ 2001;322:1249 ( 19 May )

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Marketing studies and scientific research must be distinct

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EDITOR $---$ Drew and Davies's trial to assess the effectiveness of Ginkgo biloba in tinnitus, which was conducted by post and telephone,raises several important methodological issues.¹ The advantagesof such a design are obvious: easy and quick recruitment of patientsallowing large sample sizes at comparatively low costs. The disadvantagesare exemplified by the study's limitations.¹

As there was no doctor-patient contact the exact diagnoses are not certain, and the outcome measures depict only perceivedeffects. External monitoring and quality control were impossible,which means that the quality and reliability of the rough dataare questionable. The patients' general practitioners could probablynot be informed, and serious adverse events or drug interactionswere impossible to assess. Ginkgo biloba has antiplatelet activity²and thus can lead to serious bleeding $---$ for example, haemorrhagicstroke $---$ and an increase in bleeding tendency when taken concomitantlywith oral anticoagulants. ³ ⁴

The question is whether the . . . [Full text of this article]

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Effectiveness of Ginkgo biloba in treating tinnitus: double blind, placebo controlled trial: Shelley Drew and Ewart Davies
BMJ 2001 322: 73. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]