3 ms·

EBM involves using science to determine the safety and efficacy of any given treatment. Oftentimes multiple studies are combined using metaanalysis, an approach

EBM involves using science to determine the safety and efficacy of any given treatment. Oftentimes multiple studies are combined using metaanalysis, an approach that has both strengths and weaknesses. SBM, despite the name, believes that using science to study medical treatments is often a waste of money regardless of whether a treatment is very effective or completely ineffective; their claim is that there will always be some studies that say the treatment works and other studies that say the treatment doesn't work, and spending more money will just yield more unreliable data. They therefore believe that the bulk of scientific resources should be dedicated to research reinforces society's prior beliefs, and that research on the efficacy of any given drug should be weighted based on society's prior beliefs. You can read more about this philosophy here: http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/hello-world/ http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/hello-world/ If it seems somewhat muddled and handwavy as to how exactly prior beliefs and evidence should be weighted, well, this is why I personally think of SBM as the 'white person stamp of approval' approach to medicine. But certainly they have a point that a lot of medical research is complete crap.

logfromblammo 12y ago
Not knowing anything about the praxis of SBM, I presume that "prior beliefs and evidence" would be in the nature of noticing that people once used aspen bark tea to treat pain and fever, then determining through a series of experiments the exact molecule or group of molecules that produced the effect. At the end of the experiments, you determine that acetylsalicylic acid, ingested orally, is an effective remedy for pain and fever, with side effects stomach irritation etc. I also presume that there is a more important aspect. If society believes that homeopathy works and that vaccines cause autism, that would be good cause to conduct very rigorous, credible (and above all media-friendly) experiments testing those beliefs. If society believes that eating too many eggs is bad for you, test it. If we believe drinking red wine is good for you, test it. If we believe reptilian aliens are using sodium fluoride in the water supply as an adjuvant for their mind control rays, test it. I presume, without knowing, that this particular aspect of SBM is very much about countering all the junk science hucksters stowing away on the gravy train, just because no one bothers to grab their freeloading asses and throw them off. So when Dr. Selschupplementsondeside (who may or may not be inspired by an actual person) touts a miracle cure on his cable television show, you put that on your list for potential testing and start tracking the hype versus scientific credibility ratio. If too many people start believing without knowing, you need some experimental results. We can't test everything, so focus on testing the unanswered questions. Test the home remedies and traditional cures. Debunk the junk science.
oldmanjay 12y ago
Is the racism necessarily part of it? Or do you feel like white people are deserving of any indirect scorn you wish to heap on them?
- Alex3917 12y ago
  > Is the racism necessarily part of it? Or do you feel like white people are deserving of any indirect scorn you wish to heap on them? I mean a large part of medical research is basically appropriating plant medicine from indigenous cultures and then sending people to prison for using the same medicine in plant form. So yes, racism does play a large part in the medical system.

logfromblammo 12y ago

Not knowing anything about the praxis of SBM, I presume that "prior beliefs and evidence" would be in the nature of noticing that people once used aspen bark tea to treat pain and fever, then determining through a series of experiments the exact molecule or group of molecules that produced the effect. At the end of the experiments, you determine that acetylsalicylic acid, ingested orally, is an effective remedy for pain and fever, with side effects stomach irritation etc. I also presume that there is a more important aspect. If society believes that homeopathy works and that vaccines cause autism, that would be good cause to conduct very rigorous, credible (and above all media-friendly) experiments testing those beliefs. If society believes that eating too many eggs is bad for you, test it. If we believe drinking red wine is good for you, test it. If we believe reptilian aliens are using sodium fluoride in the water supply as an adjuvant for their mind control rays, test it. I presume, without knowing, that this particular aspect of SBM is very much about countering all the junk science hucksters stowing away on the gravy train, just because no one bothers to grab their freeloading asses and throw them off. So when Dr. Selschupplementsondeside (who may or may not be inspired by an actual person) touts a miracle cure on his cable television show, you put that on your list for potential testing and start tracking the hype versus scientific credibility ratio. If too many people start believing without knowing, you need some experimental results. We can't test everything, so focus on testing the unanswered questions. Test the home remedies and traditional cures. Debunk the junk science.

oldmanjay 12y ago

Is the racism necessarily part of it? Or do you feel like white people are deserving of any indirect scorn you wish to heap on them?

Alex3917 12y ago
> Is the racism necessarily part of it? Or do you feel like white people are deserving of any indirect scorn you wish to heap on them? I mean a large part of medical research is basically appropriating plant medicine from indigenous cultures and then sending people to prison for using the same medicine in plant form. So yes, racism does play a large part in the medical system.