About ITP
Childhood ITP
Teenage ITP
Adult ITP
Medical Advisors
Research into ITP
Events
Convention
Seminar
Send for:-
Publications
American Perspective
Downloads
Leaflets and more....
Webwatch
July 2004
Does drug X cure ITP? At least one of the Association's medical advisors was heard to say that he did not recognise the concept of a "cure" so how can this question ever be answered? If if no such thing as a "cure" exists, how can the effectiveness of a treatment be measured?
One of the problems with ITP is that it is not very common. As a result, there is not a great deal of research into its causes and treatment, (but of course the Association is working to change that). Yet if there was more research, the interpretation of results is not easy even for highly trained individuals, statistics from trials being an especially tricky area. The problem is that a belief can hide reality and once this has happened, people take sides and controversy follows. Take as an example the famous double Nobel Prize laureate, Linus Pauling. He said "Everyone should know that most cancer research is largely a fraud and that the major cancer research organisations are derelict in their duties to the people who support them". For most of his life he advocated very high doses of Vitamin C as a preventative and treatment for cancer. It must have been even more sad for him when his wife died of cancer even after years on his chosen regime. It seems his belief in Vitamin C was still strong at the age of 93 shortly before he died. An interesting interview with him is available at members.aol.com/realmedia/pauling.html. You can then draw your own conclusions on his views of Vitamin C. As I have said before in webwatch, one has to look at who publishes material before you can trust it but sites such as www.quackwatch.org are at the very least interesting, not least their article on Linus Pauling at www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/pauling.html
Statistics are not my line but I understand enough to realise the assertion "there are lies, dammed lies and statistics" is very true. This famous quote has a double meaning however. It is usually attributed to Benjamin Disraeli, British Prime Minister, but the only reference to it is in Mark Twain's writing. No evidence exists to show Disraeli ever said it, just another case of a belief overruling evidence. Disraeli is quoted everywhere but he did not say it, any more than Churchill used the phrase "blood sweat and tears". In his often played speech he said "blood toil tears and sweat" but who would believe you? Everyone "knows" what he said.
There is an interesting site about statistics and statistical trials
at
www.isixsigma.com/library/content/c040412a.asp.
They say "Before the first research question is formulated, researchers
must clarify the aims of their study. Until that is done, there is little
chance that a proper format for analysis can be constructed." It
is often not clear what is to be expected from a trial so it is no wonder
that some trials are misinterpreted and this misinterpretion made public.
Another interesting site at www.practicalhippie.com/cache/science/conflict.htm (link has died since publication) continues the claim that drug trials are biased, you should of course make up your own mind. There is an association to promote ethical trials, see www.ahrp.org/infomail/04/06/20.html
For a useful glossary of terms used in such trials, the site at
www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/glossary-terms-used-clinical-trials
(link updated since publication) is quite good.
The controversy over drug trials will never end but at least the internet provides access to more information than we ever had before.
Happy surfing
Howard