Intended for healthcare professionals

Rapid response to:

Obituaries

Louis Lasagna

BMJ 2003; 327 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.327.7414.565 (Published 04 September 2003) Cite this as: BMJ 2003;327:565

Rapid Response:

Lasagna's Law

I noted the obituary of Louis Lasagna in the BMJ of 6th September
2003.
Years ago, when doing clinical research, I was told about "Lasagna's Law"
which stated "In clinical research the prevalence of any disease falls to
about 10% of what you thought it was the day you start to look for cases
for your study"

Did he really say this?.

E Housley

Competing interests:  
None declared

Competing interests: No competing interests

12 September 2003
Edward Housley
Retired Physician
6 Kew Terrace Edinburgh EH12 5JE