April 27, 2018 —
The next time you hear about the results of a clinical study—especially a clinical trial—ask whether the study relied on biomarkers or surrogate endpoints. Focusing on surrogate endpoints can sometimes lead to the right answers, but not always.
December 7, 2017 —
With the popularity and growth of social media platforms such as Facebook, Flickr, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Snapchat, Tumblr, Twitter, and YouTube, we have a complementary and ever-expanding range of channels across which to share information...
November 9, 2017 —
When I joined NIGMS about four years ago, I was struck by the number of press releases from journals and grantee institutions that came across my desk each day. Many of them focused on a recently published paper and failed to explain how the work...
September 14, 2017 —
Walk, do not run, to the nearest exit. We hear this line often as a warning for what to do in the case of an emergency, be it in a crowded movie theater or airplane. It’s prudent advice, because hysteria only escalates the danger.
June 12, 2017 —
Health communicators of all kinds—from researchers to journalists to health care workers—often find themselves talking and writing about risks. Most people intuitively have some understanding of risk, but it’s far from a simple concept. Putting...
March 29, 2017 —
At NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, we value what randomized controlled trials (RCTs) can offer in building a robust evidence base. Most people who write about the biomedical research process are well aware that RCTs...
January 11, 2017 —
As science communicators, we’re often in the know about the latest and greatest research―it’s the nature of the job. The cutting edge of research is an exciting place to be, but science is a careful, thoughtful process. It can take years for...
December 1, 2016 —
A conflict of interest arises when people are in a situation that has the potential to undermine their impartiality. These days, the appearance of a conflict can be just as damaging as an actual conflict.
November 10, 2016 —
Addiction is a chronic, relapsing neurobiological disorder caused by changes in the brain that make controlling drug use extremely difficult, even when an individual knows it has terrible consequences for his or her life and health and wants to stop...
October 18, 2016 —
Part of the challenge of explaining clinical research to the public is describing the important points of a study without going into a detailed account of the study’s design.
