Fairfield Lifers interested in scientific research may enjoy a short article in the New York Times on what constitutes a good medical study.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/30/health/30stud.html?8dpc or http://tinyurl.com/4nmmg2 Searching for Clarity: A Primer on Medical Studies By GINA KOLATA Published: September 29, 2008 Everyone, it seemed, from the general public to many scientists, was enthralled by the idea that beta carotene would protect against cancer. In the early 1990s, the evidence seemed compelling that this chemical, an antioxidant found in fruit and vegetables and converted by the body to vitamin A, was a key to good health. There were laboratory studies showing how beta carotene would work. There were animal studies confirming that it was protective against cancer. There were observational studies showing that the more fruit and vegetables people ate, the lower their cancer risk. So convinced were some scientists that they themselves were taking beta carotene supplements. Then came three large, rigorous clinical trials that randomly assigned people to take beta carotene pills or a placebo. And the beta carotene hypothesis crumbled. The trials concluded that not only did beta carotene fail to protect against cancer and heart disease, but it might increase the risk of developing cancer. It was "the biggest disappointment of my career," said one of the study researchers, Dr. Charles Hennekens, then at Brigham and Women's Hospital. http://tinyurl.com/4nmmg2
