3 ms·

> [...] after two weeks of not feeling any positive effect, she decided to start taking additional supplements of the vitamin in question on her own next to the

by lutusp 2y ago

> [...] after two weeks of not feeling any positive effect, she decided to start taking additional supplements of the vitamin in question on her own next to the study tablets to “be sure”. If unrecorded, that would be fatal to the study's design and intent. I think you know what people are going to ask: * Did she report this change to the research program? * Was she dropped from the study? * Did the study's authors consider writing/enforcing better, clearer subject instructions after this action was (hypothetically) brought to light? And finally -- * Does she understand how science works?

Palomides 2y ago
every scientist who tries to do dietary interventions knows this happens all the time and it's basically impossible to prevent (which is also a big piece of why the 'science' in this area is not so great) nothing will change as long as researchers get to keep publishing as they are source: did some of this myself
- yreg 2y ago
  We don't need to prevent it, it's enough to convince (almost all of) the test subjects to honestly admit if they have done something like this. Is that largely impossible as well?
- atombender 2y ago
  Some trials are run in an isolated environment in which the participants are sequestered for the duration of the trial, including making sure subjects are chaperoned when going outside. For example, this study reported on by The NY Times [1] seems to try very hard to prevent cheating. [1] https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/30/well/eat/ultraprocessed-foods-diet-study.html https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/30/well/eat/ultraprocessed-f...
deadbabe 2y ago
People in these studies often don’t care about the science. They have selfish goals and are hoping they won’t get the placebo, because they don’t want to waste their time.
pishpash 2y ago
Why should she care how science works? She's just getting free vitamins (maybe).
gklitz 2y ago
The answer to all questions is no.

by lutusp 2y ago

Palomides 2y ago

every scientist who tries to do dietary interventions knows this happens all the time and it's basically impossible to prevent (which is also a big piece of why the 'science' in this area is not so great) nothing will change as long as researchers get to keep publishing as they are source: did some of this myself

yreg 2y ago
We don't need to prevent it, it's enough to convince (almost all of) the test subjects to honestly admit if they have done something like this. Is that largely impossible as well?
atombender 2y ago
Some trials are run in an isolated environment in which the participants are sequestered for the duration of the trial, including making sure subjects are chaperoned when going outside. For example, this study reported on by The NY Times [1] seems to try very hard to prevent cheating. [1] https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/30/well/eat/ultraprocessed-foods-diet-study.html https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/30/well/eat/ultraprocessed-f...

deadbabe 2y ago

People in these studies often don’t care about the science. They have selfish goals and are hoping they won’t get the placebo, because they don’t want to waste their time.

pishpash 2y ago

Why should she care how science works? She's just getting free vitamins (maybe).

gklitz 2y ago

The answer to all questions is no.