On being healthy enough to survive the health industry and educated enough to wonder about ignorance

The need for information literacy becomes more and more important when those with bias seemingly don't care that people live or die.

The specifics explained in the UK Guardian, of a real tragedy is that the cost of distorted information, and irrational prescribing, is far greater than the cost of the research that could prevent it.

In the cost of research it is worth considering that its been estimated it would take 700 hours a month to read the thousands of academic articles relevant to a GP prescribing; and so skimming and relying on summaries, becomes a norm.
When I next hear my health practitioner say "actually, I think I've seen at least two studies on that, and in different journals" I'm now a bit more skeptical, I'll take my own internet search on that thanks, and call you in the morning.

In being an academic I am now also questioning the huge pressure to publish, and to get funded...sounds different when its seen in light of how to get bought and influence people.

Have a look at friends-dont-let-friends-publish-in-elsevier

Refs
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/may/09/bad-science-medical-journals-companies
http://crookedtimber.org/2009/05/11/friends-dont-let-friends-publish-in-elsevier-journals