This chapter discusses the potential for untrustworthy clinical trials in medicine and highlights specific examples of flawed randomized controlled trials (RCTs). It explores the discrepancies between review findings and subsequent large-scale RCTs, as well as the impact of untrustworthy trials on clinical practice. The chapter also addresses concerns about research integrity, data availability, and the need for trustworthiness protocols in medical research.
Investigations suggest that, in some fields, at least one-quarter of clinical trials might be problematic or even entirely made up. Faked or unreliable trials are dangerous, as they could end up being included in the reviews that help inform clinical treatments. However, the extent of the problem in unclear, and many researchers urge stronger scrutiny.
This is an audio version of our Feature: Medicine is plagued by untrustworthy clinical trials. How many studies are faked or flawed?
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.