BMJ  2006;332:1335 (3 June), doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7553.1335

Letter

Ethnic misclassifications hamper progress in research

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—McDowell et al review the evidence for ethnic differences in susceptibility to adverse drug reactions to cardiovascular drugs.1 They concluded that patients from different ethnic groups have different risks for adverse reactions to cardiovascular drugs and that ethnic group may be one determinant of harms of a given treatment, either because it acts as a surrogate measure of genetic make up or because cultural factors alter the risk.

Clearly, there are important issues that are worth discussing with regard to this study's approach of ethnic classifications and its conclusions. The ethnic differences in health are not easily explained, and better definitions and terminology, and greater attention to population heterogeneity are a prerequisite for scientific progress.2 The heterogeneity of African descent populations,2 Asian,3 and white4 populations has long been pointed out. Some journals, including the BMJ, have also set standards by publishing explicit guidelines for the use of . . . [Full text of this article]

Charles Agyemang, associate researcher

Amsterdam Medical Centre, Department of Social Medicine, 1100 DD, Amsterdam c.o.agyemang@amc.uva.nl


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