Science isn’t broken

These comments are inspired by the conflict-of-interest allegations about Albert et al and their study of antibiotic therapy for low back pain (3 of 4 authors on the board of a company selling antibiotic therapy). So far, I think the best summary of the debacle is now Dr. Margaret McCartney’s article in the British Medical Journal, and see also Dr. Lorimer Moseley’s eloquent, gracious comment:

I wonder how far any of us are from this kind of mistake — a lazy media release, and eager PR manager, an impending promotion. I reflect on the anguish I imagine the authors are feeling right now and the damage this has done to their reputations and I can hear the whispering in my own heart — ‘Careful! That could have been you.’

And there’s also my own summary in my back pain e-book, now fully updated on this topic — yay for nimble digital publishing!