If you run enough trials, and scuttle the ones you don't like, you are likely to get a result, eventually, that shows a statistically significant improvement (a

If you run enough trials, and scuttle the ones you don't like, you are likely to get a result, eventually, that shows a statistically significant improvement (albeit due to error). Which wouldn't be so bad if drugs cost nothing, had no side effects, and physicians were aware of exactly how much of an improvement the medication is alleged to have (a tiny improvement of some malady may not be worth the hassle and cost for some patients). Having said that, I'm not an expert on medicine here, I'm just someone who read this interesting book: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bad_Pharma http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bad_Pharma