From RetractionWatch: John Ioannidis, a professor at Stanford University and one of the most highly cited researchers in the world, has come up with some startling figures about meta-analyses. His new paper, published today in Milbank Quarterly (accompanied by this commentary), suggests that the number of systematic reviews and meta-analyses in literature have each increased by more than 2500% […]
Systematic review methods can be used for developing threshold no significant risk level (NSRL) values for titanium dioxide, according to a new paper published in Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology. Read the paper here: doi:10.1016/j.yrtph.2016.05.031 Paper highlights TiO2 particles of respirable size are listed as carcinogenic under Proposition 65. A systematic review identified only animal studies were […]
This is a table from Late Lessons From Early Warnings Vol. 2 (European Environment Agency 2013), summarising the main direction of error from methodological weaknesses in research. This is important: when assessing the methodological quality of studies in the course of conducting an evidence review in a risk assessment, it is not enough […]
Opinion: Problems with Hidden Conflicts of Interest. When a scientific article has an author or a list of authors, we usually have no reason to wonder who was responsible for the work. But despite increased focus on conflicts of interest (COI), recent events suggest that there may be more to authorship than a list of […]
This is interesting, a systematic review of epidemiological research into neurodevelopmental effects of OP pesticide exposure in children. Note the systematic search, the appraisal of the quality of evidence, and the attempt at meta-analysis, all of which are fundamental to systematic review. Ideally, we would want to incorporate animal and in vitro evidence, and I […]
For scientists in a democracy, to dissent is to be reasonable. George Monbiot: It’s as clear and chilling a statement of intent as you’re likely to read. Scientists should be “the voice of reason, rather than dissent, in the public arena”. Vladimir Putin? Kim Jong-un? No, Professor Ian Boyd, chief scientific adviser at the UK’s Department […]
Bias Detection: Study Identifies Instruments for Evaluating Animal Studies. No good scientist wants to produce, or be accused of producing, a poorly conducted study. Even so, toxicologists conducting animal studies are not widely expected to document the steps they take to ensure internal validity—that is, to prevent their results from being skewed due to a […]
Protecting the Cancer Susceptibility Curve. Why might the U.S. EPA and its stakeholders be spending so much effort refining allometric scaling procedures, dialing back the estimation of exposure to the maximally exposed individual, and positing sophisticated nonlinear modes of action, while continuing to make the unscientific assertion that we are all equally susceptible to carcinogenesis? I […]
The Politics of Bees Turns Science on its Head. A Forbes columnist turns his “skeptical eye” on the EU neonicotinoid pesticide ban, in a rather partial account of the interplay between the science and lobbying which has resulted in the decision. Beware the rise of the government scientists turned lobbyists. George Monbiot: What happens to people when […]
When the Policy Makers Who Are Supposed to Protect Us, Get Risk Wrong. Weighing the pros and cons of risk- vs. hazard-based approaches to risk management: do we err on the side of caution, or should we be certain that something poses a real risk before we restrict its use? Efsa launches transparency initiative. Hans […]