BMJ  2008;336:722 (29 March), doi:10.1136/bmj.39525.447361.94

Views & Reviews

Why promote the findings of single research studies?

¹ Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, University of York, ² Public and Environmental Health Research Unit, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

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

"Since when has a single scientific study constituted ‘the truth’ about anything?"1

Scientists have known about biases in single observations for centuries.² A wealth of empirical evidence amassed across many disciplines tells us that single studies can be biased, are often seriously methodologically flawed and highly time and context dependent, and have findings that are likely to be misinterpreted and misrepresented (sometimes by the authors themselves). Increasingly it is accepted that decisions should not be based on the findings from single primary studies but rather informed by actionable messages derived from synthesised evidence based on systematic reviews.^{3 4 5} Over the past decade there has been substantial public funding of synthesised evidence and guidance to support healthcare decision making. In the United Kingdom this investment has been described as NHS research and development’s most important contribution to the global science base.⁶

Despite this investment the evidence indicates that although the transfer of . . . [Full text of this article]

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

Related Articles

Mixed messages over breast milk and brainy babies

Mary McCartney
BMJ 2007 335: 1074. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Medical researchers need to stop hamming it up

Mark Lawson
BMJ 2007 335: 1046. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

What's the evidence that NICE guidance has been implemented? Results from a national evaluation using time series analysis, audit of patients' notes, and interviews

Trevor A Sheldon, Nicky Cullum, Diane Dawson, Annette Lankshear, Karin Lowson, Ian Watt, Peter West, Dianne Wright, and John Wright
BMJ 2004 329: 999. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

What is newsworthy? Longitudinal study of the reporting of medical research in two British newspapers

Christopher Bartlett, Jonathan Sterne, and Matthias Egger
BMJ 2002 325: 81-84. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Evidence based policy: proceed with care • Commentary: research must be taken seriously

Nick Black and Anna Donald
BMJ 2001 323: 275-279. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Do not promote the findings of single research studies.

Alexander SD Spiers
bmj.com, 2 Apr 2008 [Full text]