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Others to look out for are <nowiki>'might', ''probably', 'could' and all the usual suspects. It isn't uncommon to read X probably causes Y, but on reading the full text find out that it's not actually possible to tell, or even sometimes that in fact, it probably doesn'</nowiki>t. Such tactics can be argued to go against principles of 'good ethics' particularly where (public) health is concerned, and where not likely to be obvious, context (as provided above with coffee etc.) should be provided. This is not unreasonable, the public expects high standards, when reading about things that are used to make health choices. Please see the next picture particularly the second tweet pictured, regarding the reasons for being untruthful, and why that isn't acceptable, particularly for trusted health organisations/professionals. | Others to look out for are <nowiki>'might', ''probably', 'could' and all the usual suspects. It isn't uncommon to read X probably causes Y, but on reading the full text find out that it's not actually possible to tell, or even sometimes that in fact, it probably doesn'</nowiki>t. Such tactics can be argued to go against principles of 'good ethics' particularly where (public) health is concerned, and where not likely to be obvious, context (as provided above with coffee etc.) should be provided. This is not unreasonable, the public expects high standards, when reading about things that are used to make health choices. Please see the next picture particularly the second tweet pictured, regarding the reasons for being untruthful, and why that isn't acceptable, particularly for trusted health organisations/professionals. | ||
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==== Omitting important information ==== | ==== Omitting important information ==== | ||
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[[Charles A. Gardner|Dr Gardner]] Has a PHD in developmental neurobiology, and has taught healthcare ethics. | [[Charles A. Gardner|Dr Gardner]] Has a PHD in developmental neurobiology, and has taught healthcare ethics. | ||
There is information on this page [[Does nicotine damage the developing adolescent brain?]] Including the big issue; many millions worldwide started smoking in their teens, if such damage occurred in humans (this has been studied, scientists have looked), it would be trivial to find it, no such issues have been found, none. | There is information on this page [[Does nicotine damage the developing adolescent brain?]] Including the big issue; many millions worldwide started smoking in their teens, if such damage occurred in humans (this has been studied, scientists have looked), it would be trivial to find it, no such issues have been found, none. | ||
=== Confusing use of numbers === | === Confusing use of numbers === | ||
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The screenshot shown includes a tweet that is misleading, in that there is no context, it can easily be taken to say 55.3% of youth use disposable devices, when it is again a percentage of a percentage, so 55.3% of 9.8%. It is no wonder that even those doing things right, can become confused. | The screenshot shown includes a tweet that is misleading, in that there is no context, it can easily be taken to say 55.3% of youth use disposable devices, when it is again a percentage of a percentage, so 55.3% of 9.8%. It is no wonder that even those doing things right, can become confused. | ||
Agencies like the CDC, when communicating with the general public, have a responsibility to ensure they make the information clear, and easy to understand. You can reasonably expect such a graph to contain the information required, to see what scale is used, and what it represents, without having to click a link to further information. | Agencies like the CDC, when communicating with the general public, have a responsibility to ensure they make the information clear, and easy to understand. You can reasonably expect such a graph to contain the information required, to see what scale is used, and what it represents, without having to click a link to further information. | ||
=== Presenting results of chemical analysis without comparison to exposure levels that may cause harm, or legal limits for workplace exposure. === | === Presenting results of chemical analysis without comparison to exposure levels that may cause harm, or legal limits for workplace exposure. === | ||
Analytical techniques such as Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectroscopy can detect tiny quantities of compounds in a sample, Limits Of Detection are becoming lower as electronics and computing increase in power and efficiency. Equipment manufacturers compete with each other to detect tinier, and tinier levels. This is a good thing for the most part, as anything that is present no matter how tiny the amount will be detected. However this can be a problem too. | Analytical techniques such as Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectroscopy can detect tiny quantities of compounds in a sample, Limits Of Detection are becoming lower as electronics and computing increase in power and efficiency. Equipment manufacturers compete with each other to detect tinier, and tinier levels. This is a good thing for the most part, as anything that is present no matter how tiny the amount will be detected. However this can be a problem too. | ||
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They focus more on the fact that nanoscopic quantities where discovered, and completely forget to compare the amounts with something sensible (like permitted workplace exposure limits) presumably because their data would be 'lost in the weeds' in comparison. | They focus more on the fact that nanoscopic quantities where discovered, and completely forget to compare the amounts with something sensible (like permitted workplace exposure limits) presumably because their data would be 'lost in the weeds' in comparison. | ||
It is also not good practice to operate equipment at or near it's LOD (Limit Of Detection), if a percentage of samples that can be expected to contain some trace of e.g. Nicotine result in no detection, then it is safe to assume, the instrument is operating at the extreme of it's capability. Most of the time, manufactures and good practice | It is also not good practice to operate equipment at or near it's LOD (Limit Of Detection), if a percentage of samples that can be expected to contain some trace of e.g. Nicotine result in no detection, then it is safe to assume, the instrument is operating at the extreme of it's capability. Most of the time, manufactures and good practice suggest avoiding the extreme ends of the range, due to issues such as noise at the low end, and detector swamping at the high end. An example more commonly encountered; an audio amplifier will sound best when operated somewhere in the middle of it's power output range. (Too low, and noise can be apparent, too high, and distortion becomes a problem) Scientific equipment is not so very different, it uses electronics, and the laws of physics still apply. | ||
=== Unusual or confusing definitions === | === Unusual or confusing definitions === | ||
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<br> | <br> | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
=== Issues with 'Spin' of results, either by the writers of the paper, or press release (or both) === | |||
Careful analysis of many e-cigarette/HTPs studies show that conclusions are often misreported with nonsignificant findings being presented as significant or demonstrating an effect (spin bias). | |||
[[Center of Excellence for the acceleration of HArm Reduction|CoEHAR]] researchers in their article: | |||
=== '''2023: [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37131244/ Identifying spin bias of nonsignificant findings in biomedical studies]''' === | |||
* have developed a two-step technique and objectively identified that about 30% of studies exhibited spin bias of nonsignificant findings. | |||
* The distortion of scientific data and the unbridled search for sensationalist headlines is dragging the academic research into an abyss of non-credibility. | |||
* Renée O'Leary, Giusy Rita Maria La Rosa, Robin Vernooij, Riccardo Polosa PMID: 37131244 PMCID: PMC10155298 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-023-06321-2 | |||
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