E-DRUG: Clinical trials and ethics (10)
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Dear Francis, and E-drug users,
Thank you for this.
Of what value is spending resources on poorly designed studies?
Of what value is quality data analysed by a wrong statistical test?
Of what value are conclusions arrived at by statistical tests we don't understand?
It would also be good if your organisation looked at need to examine study methods, and statistics which are used. This will be helpful.
The goal here, would be to show researchers' flaws in their proposed studies in order that appropriate ways are used. Not, neither to throw out nor condemn upcoming research. We need to encourage the researchers to spend time on developing quality work.
Then, the methods are often inappropriate.
Researchers often come to conclusions by statistical methods, which are inappropriate as well. So, we need to always remember, understand, that many statistical tests have assumptions. These are often unconsidered. Yet, when the appropriate test were to be used, there would be no significance.
And then there is this statistical test called relative risk. It is causing many to see things as if they are really big, when they aren't. We need to always ask for the absolute risk (also called attributable risk) because it expresses things the way they really are. And if there are compelling life issues to deem a low absolute risk worthy the need for intervention, so be it.
Having said this, absolute risk is causing many Ministries of Health to fund interventions which are costly. They then leave more serious problems like malaria, tuberculosis, meningitis, typhoid fever, etc. for petty issues presented as relative risk by strategic University dons as well as pharmaceutical companies.
regards,
George Kibumba Tebigwayo Kaizzi, M.Sc.
Pharmaceutical Services and Medicines Control,
Lecturer, Clinical Pharmacy Unit,
School of Health Sciences
College of Health Sciences,
Depart. of Pharmacy,
Makerere University,
P.O BOX 33543,
Kampala, Uganda.
E-mail: kibumba@yahoo.com
Mob: 256-774-110295