Most of us assume that research published in a peer-reviewed medical journal is trustworthy and robust. However, Ben Goldacre might challenge that belief.
Goldacre is known for exposing dubious scientific claims made by sensationalist journalists, questionable government reports, pharmaceutical companies, PR firms, and frauds.
According to Ed Lake of The Daily Telegraph, Goldacre is one of the few genuinely good journalists in the UK. With such a reputation, it’s no wonder Goldacre has ruffled some feathers, especially with his TED Talk on the flaws in the process of selecting studies for medical journals.
In his TEDMED lecture, Goldacre argues that the results of all trials for new drugs should be published, but often, negative or inconclusive results are not reported, keeping critical information from doctors and researchers.
Goldacre passionately explains that these missing reports are misleading and dangerous. If you care about science, take a moment to sign the petition at ALLTrials.com.
The ALL Trials campaign advocates for the publication of all clinical trial results. If a researcher were to selectively remove data from a trial, it would be considered misconduct. Yet, it remains acceptable to conduct multiple trials and publish only one. Let’s send a clear message that this practice is unacceptable and unscientific.
Watch Goldacre’s TED Talk and share it with anyone who should see it.