Ben Goldacre: Battling Bad Science
Response
Sadly, the issue addressed in the
video by Dr. Goldacre about how people are making decisions in the absence of
the information needed in the health industry, is unacceptable. Everyday we
come across new data and research on the media that we believe to be true but
fail to see its accuracy. Dr. Goldacre highlights that in science we need to
know reasons in what we believe in, however surprisingly, even with the real
data present we choose what information to let in our minds and what to leave
out. For instance, recently the issues of health insurance or tax reforms in
our country frustrates some, yet does not bother others. Those people who are
not affected sit back and wait until another social issue erupts and affects
them, directly or indirectly.
Perhaps, neglecting data or research
in the science makes us biased and incapable of making decisions. Companies and
agencies like the European Medicines need to be held accountable for
withholding data and jeopardizing the lives of people. There should be a governmental
agency responsible for collecting the concealed information and making it
accessible to the public so the future generation could be benefited from.
There should also be laws regulating the trials because we cannot afford having
more than fifty percent (76%) trials withheld and let science become political.
Journalists and scientists should also stop using the same old techniques
because this is the era where medicine is funded by industries and majority of
the evidence is not present.
If scientists and key players in the
health industries do not act quick on the ways evidence is distorted, we will
not be able to find solutions to health issues such as the cure to cancer. We
must quickly acknowledge that politics and science are two distinct fields and
if interchanged, consequences are to be faced.
Comments
Post a Comment