Placebo Effects

Duhhh... not quite sure why this is still surprising to some:


http://bit.ly/9LKNNT

Anti-depressants: Still Controversial

Anti-depressants: neurochemically effective or just placebos? after all these years, controversy continues:


http://www.newsweek.com/id/232781

Evidence-based Medicine

Good article on "evidence-based medicine" (EBM) here:


http://tinyurl.com/yaowus9

I would only add though that even the "double-blind randomized clinical trials," cited as the highest level of evidence, can still be marred by imprecision and uncontrolled (often undefined or unrecognized) intervening variables, and ought be interpreted with caution, especially if sample size is small.  No matter how strictly one endeavors to define it, "evidence" often remains inevitably in the eye of the beholder.

Statins, Side Effects

Just one anecdotal report (out of many):


http://tinyurl.com/ybw3yl5

And This is News???

Weakness reported in FDA approval system for new cardiovascular devices HERE.

The drug approval path has always had such weaknesses, as well. Indeed it would be cost-prohibitive to conduct and await truly strong scientific analyses/screens of products in the medical pipeline. The pressure to opt for speed (and profit) in the process will always overwhelm the emphasis on safety. The solution is not to spend more time on better science, but to better communicate the potential risks and negative outcomes of treatments to consumers, moving toward an improved system of informed consent (medicine ought be consensual, not brow-beaten).

Clinical Trials... Issues/Concerns

Review below of 3 recent books addressing ethical and empirical aspects of clinical research on humans:

http://tinyurl.com/y8g3xqs

H1N1 More Serious Than Many Realize

This report on a CDC study concludes that, "The number of confirmed cases of H1N1 flu from April to July represents just 2% of the actual people who were infected with the virus, according to a report by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention."

and adds:

"The study estimates that for every confirmed case, there was likely a median of 79 actual people infected with the virus. Using the same model, the authors estimate about 800 people died from the virus during the same time frame."

(bold added)

Cancer as a 'Dynamic Process'

NY Times article HERE acknowledging what many have known for a long time: cancer is not necessarily a 'linear' phenomena, but can reverse itself. No doubt it has to do with individual immune function, as well as dozens of other synergistic variables, unique to each individual and each form of cancer. Not sure why this view takes so long to get out; there have been plenty of examples over decades, both anecdotally and in the literature, to bear it out... but, still treated as 'news.'

Placebo Effects Little Understood

Ed Yong reports HERE on the connection between the placebo effect (fake treatment alleviating pain) and actual spinal signaling (specifically at the 'dorsal horn'). As he says though, "it's still unclear how this happens."

CT Scan Errors

Not exactly instilling confidence in our medical system:

http://tinyurl.com/ykwzbly

(206 California patients receive radiation overdoses)