When is lack of scientific integrity a reason for retracting a paper? A case study.(2020) Fiedorowicz et al. (about homeopathy for CFS)

Hutan · Jan 29, 2023

This, in an editorial in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research:

We found the presentation by Dr. Relton disturbing on multiple grounds. This admission of unethical behavior calls her scientific
integrity into question. The premise for her actions rests on an errant assumption widespread among clinicians, based on anecdotal experi ence, that one possesses an ultimate knowledge of what works and doesn’t work without the need for rigorous study. The history of medicine, unfortunately, has been littered by countless treatments that practitioners believed in and dispensed, only to be later found not beneficial or even harmful [4]. This underscores the importance of rigorous study for treatments where equipoise exists in the scientific community, as it arguably did for the use of homeopathy for chronic fatigue syndrome.
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Reporting on the integrity of the blind has merit and is especially valuable when dealing with subjective outcomes for which there is a greater risk of bias due to any unblinding [12]. Un-blinded assessors of subjective binary outcomes may exaggerate odds ratios by an average of 36% [13]. Subjective outcomes are frequently used in studies that fall within this journal’s scope, at the interface of psychology and medicine. We recommend assessing the integrity of the blind for any clinical trial, particularly those utilizing subjective outcomes akin to the primary outcomes of the Weatherley-Jones et al. study in question.
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@cassava7 - perhaps there is something here that could contribute to your IQWIG submission?

Sean · Jan 29, 2023

We recommend assessing the integrity of the blind for any clinical trial, particularly those utilizing subjective outcomes

How about you just make it an explicit policy to not even consider, let alone publish, trials that lack adequate controls?

cassava7 · Jan 29, 2023

Hutan said: ↑

This, in an editorial in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research:

@cassava7 - perhaps there is something here that could contribute to your IQWIG submission?
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Possibly, but contrary to the 36% figure from the Hjóbratsson paper, the MetaBLIND study is often cited nowadays to justify that blinding is not essential for PROMs despite its methodological shortcomings. @ME/CFS Skeptic has had a helpful article published about this in the Journal of Health Psychology, though.

Hutan · Jan 29, 2023

It wasn't so much the percentage figure, more something like:
Even the editors of the Journal of Psychosomatic Research have acknowledged that history provides many examples where practitioners of medicine have believed that a treatment was sound, when it turned out to be ineffective. Further, they note the importance of good quality blinding when there are subjective outcomes.

Sean · Jan 29, 2023

cassava7 said: ↑

the MetaBLIND study is often cited nowadays to justify that blinding is not essential for PROMs despite its methodological shortcomings.
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We have hard evidence that PROMs are unreliable for ME (and also for asthma). I doubt they are isolated examples.

Not using adequate control of the variables breaks all the fundamental rules of science.

DigitalDrifter · Jan 29, 2023

Woolie said: ↑

This study is a triple-blinded randomised controlled trial of homeopathy for CFS.
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I've heard of double blinded but what does triple blinded mean?

Shadrach Loom · Jan 29, 2023

DigitalDrifter said: ↑

I've heard of double blinded but what does triple blinded mean?
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The person who runs the numbers on the results, in addition to the patient and the prescribing/administering clinician, doesn’t know which treatment is “real” and which is placebo.

dave30th · Jan 29, 2023

Hutan said: ↑

It wasn't so much the percentage figure, more something like:
Even the editors of the Journal of Psychosomatic Research have acknowledged that history provides many examples where practitioners of medicine have believed that a treatment was sound, when it turned out to be ineffective. Further, they note the importance of good quality blinding when there are subjective outcomes.
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And I've blogged about this editorial of theirs, and yet they still keep on publishing studies with the design we all know is shit.

Ash · Jan 29, 2023

dave30th said: ↑

And I've blogged about this editorial of theirs, and yet they still keep on publishing studies with the design we all know is shit.
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If I may be so bold -and slightly off topic- I would pay money to have access to audio an collection of you reading out your Trial by Error blogs perhaps one short piece per month?

One of the ‘I’ve written to you about this issue before and still not received a satisfactory response’ genre might not be too onerous?

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When is lack of scientific integrity a reason for retracting a paper? A case study.(2020) Fiedorowicz et al. (about homeopathy for CFS)

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When is lack of scientific integrity a reason for retracting a paper? A case study.(2020) Fiedorowicz et al. (about homeopathy for CFS)

Hutan Moderator Staff Member

Sean Moderator Staff Member

cassava7 Senior Member (Voting Rights)

Hutan Moderator Staff Member

Sean Moderator Staff Member

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