Evidence-based Medicine
How to write a superb literature review
8 Dec, 2020 | 07:32h | UTCHow to write a superb literature review – Nature
Opinion: “Put an end to publication by proclamation for Covid vaccines”
2 Dec, 2020 | 07:27h | UTCPut An End To Publication By Proclamation For Covid Vaccines – Forbes
Opinion: How Prestige Journals Remain Elite, Exclusive and Exclusionary. “by announcing a €9,500 price tag, Nature has failed to enact their own diversity and inclusion pledge”
1 Dec, 2020 | 08:22h | UTCHow Prestige Journals Remain Elite, Exclusive And Exclusionary – Forbes
See also: For €9500, Nature journals will now make your paper free to read
Opinion: Pfizer and Moderna’s “95% effective” vaccines—let’s be cautious and first see the full data
1 Dec, 2020 | 08:13h | UTC
Colchicine to be investigated as a possible treatment for COVID-19 in the RECOVERY trial
1 Dec, 2020 | 08:08h | UTCCommentary: Gout drug Colchicine to be tested as COVID-19 treatment in UK trial – Reuters
The Ioannidis affair: A tale of major scientific overreaction
1 Dec, 2020 | 08:10h | UTCThe Ioannidis Affair: A Tale of Major Scientific Overreaction – Scientific American
The COVID science wars: Shutting down scientific debate is hurting the public health
1 Dec, 2020 | 08:11h | UTCThe COVID Science Wars – Scientific American
Opinion – Covid-19: controversial trial may actually show that masks protect the wearer
30 Nov, 2020 | 00:58h | UTCCovid-19: controversial trial may actually show that masks protect the wearer – The BMJ Opinion
Original study and commentaries: Randomized trial suggesting mask use does not protect the wearer from Covid-19 sparks controversy
Related commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
1/
My appraisal of the Danish mask study (DANMASK-19): This was a negative trial – masks were not shown to prevent #COVID19.Could chance or bias make this outcome more likely?
Does this mean we don’t need to wear masks?Let’s take a deeper look.#HowIReadThisPaper
(Thread) pic.twitter.com/bAUuajgtaI
— Rahul Ganatra (@rbganatra) November 28, 2020
For €9500, Nature journals will now make your paper free to read
30 Nov, 2020 | 00:49h | UTCFor €9500, Nature journals will now make your paper free to read – Science
News release: Nature journals reveal terms of landmark open-access option
Editor’s Choice: The curious case of the Danish mask study
30 Nov, 2020 | 00:56h | UTCEditor’s Choice: The curious case of the Danish mask study – The BMJ
Original study and commentaries: Randomized trial suggesting mask use does not protect the wearer from Covid-19 sparks controversy
Opinion: “The AstraZeneca Covid Vaccine Data Isn’t Up to Snuff”
26 Nov, 2020 | 09:02h | UTCThe AstraZeneca Covid Vaccine Data Isn’t Up to Snuff – Wired
Commentaries: A timeline of the oxford-Astrazeneca Covid-19 vaccine trials – by Hilda Bastian AND After Admitting Mistake, AstraZeneca Faces Difficult Questions About Its Vaccine – The New York Times AND AstraZeneca manufacturing error clouds vaccine study results – Associated Press
Emergency COVID-vaccine approvals pose a dilemma for scientists. It could complicate efforts to study long-term outcomes, such as safety, how long protection lasts and whether the jab prevents infection or just the disease
24 Nov, 2020 | 09:28h | UTCWhy emergency COVID-vaccine approvals pose a dilemma for scientists – Nature
Randomized trial suggesting mask use does not protect the wearer from Covid-19 sparks controversy
20 Nov, 2020 | 08:48h | UTCEditorials: Of Masks and Methods AND The Role of Masks in Mitigating the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: Another Piece of the Puzzle
Commentaries: Expert reaction to paper using an RCT to assess mask use as a public health measure to help control SARS-CoV-2 spread (DANMASK-19) – Science Media Centre AND Here’s How to Think About the Danish Mask Study – MedPage Today AND Lead Researcher Behind Controversial Danish Study Says You Should Still Wear A Mask – Forbes AND Denmark trial measures effectiveness of adding a mask recommendation to other public health measures for preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection – ACP Newsroom
“questioning why a top medical journal would publish a large randomized trial on an important issue is absolutely antithetical to science. Of course they should, so we may all read and debate it” (via @VPrasadMDMPH see Tweet)
Commentaries on Twitter (threads – click for more)
Not perfect, nor confirmatory, but a good enough study to modulate the probability of a large self-efficacy from masks. Study powered to a 50% RRR, correctly concluded that it does not reduce infection by 50%. A negative study is negative only for the effect size it was powered https://t.co/aDPxRoIuqS
— Luis Correia (@LuisCLCorreia) November 19, 2020
So, The Big Mask study has been published, and I thought rather than expound on what the results DID show (everyone's doing that), I might point out a few things that they DIDN'T show 1/n pic.twitter.com/zG4jtXQVVq
— Health Nerd (@GidMK) November 18, 2020
Five rules for evidence communication
20 Nov, 2020 | 08:38h | UTCFive rules for evidence communication – Nature
Commentary from the author on Twitter
Today in @NatureNews with @d_spiegel & team we present “five rules for evidence communication”
1) Inform, not persuade
2) Offer balance but not false balance
3) Disclose uncertainties
4) State evidence quality
5) Inoculate against misinformationhttps://t.co/Apa1OdIeha pic.twitter.com/SdnGJzI1mK— Sander van der Linden (@Sander_vdLinden) November 18, 2020
Opinion: “Why the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine is a cause for optimism — and skepticism. Vaccine science by press release has to stop”
11 Nov, 2020 | 09:25h | UTCWhy the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine is a cause for optimism — and skepticism – Vox
Related commentaries: Champagne and questions greet first data showing that a COVID-19 vaccine works – Science AND 90% efficacy for Pfizer’s COVID-19 mRNA vaccine is striking. But we need to wait for the full data – The Conversation
See also: Science by press release: When the story gets ahead of the science – CNN
Aspirin to be investigated as a possible treatment for COVID-19 in the RECOVERY trial
10 Nov, 2020 | 09:35h | UTCCommentary: Aspirin to be tested as potential COVID-19 drug in UK study – Reuters
Review: Use of multiple period, cluster randomized, crossover trial designs for comparative effectiveness research
10 Nov, 2020 | 09:22h | UTC
This article outlines the key methodological and ethical requirements needed for the robust design of multiple period, cluster randomised, crossover trialshttps://t.co/CMky7icWhY
— The BMJ (@bmj_latest) November 6, 2020
Opinion: Disagree on Covid-19, but don’t demonize other views
5 Nov, 2020 | 09:04h | UTCDisagree on Covid-19, but don’t demonise other views – Research Professional News
Screening: earlier detection of disease is not necessarily better
5 Nov, 2020 | 08:53h | UTCScreening: earlier detection of disease is not necessarily better – Evidently Cochrane
Science’s English dominance hinders diversity—but the community can work toward change
4 Nov, 2020 | 09:18h | UTCScience’s English dominance hinders diversity—but the community can work toward change – Science
Opinion – Hydroxychloroquine: A tale of overzealous optimism and patient harm
3 Nov, 2020 | 03:09h | UTCHydroxychloroquine: A tale of overzealous optimism and patient harm – First10EM
Influence and management of conflicts of interest in randomized clinical trials: qualitative interview study
2 Nov, 2020 | 02:22h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter
In a great qualitative interview study @bmj_latest @LasseOstengaard, @AndreasLundh2 & colleagues show some staggering trialist comments on how trial sponsors tried to influence the clinical trials with manipulation, spin and selective reporting https://t.co/KN25JeYErU pic.twitter.com/2leb0OQmCG
— Lars Villads Bennedsen, MD PhD GP (@LarsJorgensenMD) October 30, 2020
A room, a bar and a classroom: how the coronavirus is spread through the air
30 Oct, 2020 | 01:08h | UTCA room, a bar and a classroom: how the coronavirus is spread through the air – El Pais
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
https://twitter.com/ASPphysician/status/1321798685991186434
Coronavirus vaccine volunteer in Brazil’s AstraZeneca trial dies – but authorities say trial to continue
23 Oct, 2020 | 09:08h | UTCSee also: AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine trial Brazil volunteer dies, trial to continue – Reuters AND Expert reaction to media reports suggesting a person in Brazil who was taking part in the Brazil arm of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine trial has died – Science Media Centre
Nature journals announce first open-access agreement
21 Oct, 2020 | 09:11h | UTCNature journals announce first open-access agreement – Nature