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An intricate landscape of bias permeates biomedical research. In this groundbreaking exploration the myriad sources of bias shaping research outcomes, from cognitive biases inherent in researchers to the selection of study subjects and data interpretation, are examined in detail. With a focus on randomized controlled trials, pharmacologic studies, genetic research, animal studies, and pandemic analyses, it illuminates how bias distorts the quest for scientific truth. Historical and contemporary examples vividly illustrate the impact of biases across research domains. Offering insights on recognizing and mitigating bias, this comprehensive work equips scientists and research teams with tools to navigate the complex terrain of biased research practices. A must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the critical role biases play in shaping the reliability and reproducibility of biomedical research.
List of contents
1. All at sea. What is systemic error (bias)?; 2. Are scientists inherently biased?; 3. Biased research in recent times - even among some of the brightest; 4. Bias in the research question asked; 5. Research participation bias; 6. Bias in study subjects; 7. Compared to what?; 8. Bias in the study conduct; 9. Bias in the conduct of animal studies; 10. Bias in data analysis; 11. Bias in study interpretation; 12. Bias in the dissemination of study results; 13. Bias in pooling data from multiple studies; 14. Bias in Randomized Controlled Trials; 15. Bias in Genetic studies; 16. Bias in pandemic studies; 17. Bias in pharmaco-epidemiology studies; 18. Recognising and mitigating bias; 19. Afterword: how bias threatens the search for truth.
About the author
Michael Bracken is Susan Dwight Bliss Professor Emeritus of Epidemiology, and formerly Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Science and Neurology at Yale University. Sometime Research Fellow in Green Templeton College, Oxford University, Michael has published some 400 research articles and authored three books: Perinatal Epidemiology (1984); Effective Care of the Newborn Infant (with Jack Sinclair, 1992), BMJ named this book one of the most influential in evidence-based medicine; and Risk, Chance and Causation: Investigating the Origins and Treatment of Disease (2013). He served as President of the American College of Epidemiology and the Society for Epidemiologic Research.
