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0 pointsCamperBob210y ago0 comments

When you realize that pretty much every disease and condition has similar papers written about it, you start to realize that the way we do medical research is pretty messed up.

Keep in mind that they still haven't really decided whether salt is bad for you or not, or what the real effects of dietary cholesterol are. Widespread conditions that should be much easier to research and understand than Alzheimer's are still very controversial.

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CWuestefeld10y ago

you start to realize that the way we do medical research is pretty messed up.

The way the media reports on research (not just medical) is really messed up.

CamperBob2OP10y ago

Both are true, IMHO, again returning to the dietary salt/cholesterol example. It is easy to point to peer-reviewed literature that backs up any point of view you want to take.

The scientific community needs to get its own act together before criticizing the popular media. Few other scientific disciplines are less reliable than medical research, and even fewer are more important.

bootload10y ago

"The way the media reports on research (not just medical) is really messed up."

Might have something to do with wanting simple answers. I notice this happening on HN.

If I add a new post where it's a general science article I post both the general article and the original academic paper. HN readers choose the general over the technical article most times except when it comes to HN technical areas of interest. The level of reader understanding may influence article choice.

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