U.K. House of Commons Science committee public can propose topics by 29 Nov

What about a general investigation into the use of open-label/subjective-measures as primary outcomes in behavioural trials that affect millions of patients, @Jonathan Edwards? (Seriously.)

Edit: More broadly, this is an issue of low standards in research that affects anyone in the UK who ends up on the receiving end of CBT or any other behavioural intervention - and it's likely to be doing untold damage to enormous numbers of patients while taxpayers are forking out millions of pounds for it.

 

How about the failure of peer review in medical/science journals as this could take in

• The problems of subjective measures in open labelled trials
• Failure to report objective measures used
• Outcome switching
• Problems with research definitions of conditions (Oxford criteria, etc)
• Failure of ethical approval system
• Describing trials running pilot studies into full studies as prospective
• Croneyism (harder perhaps to present clear cut evidence)
• Failure of journals to police this in published papers once it is pointed out to them

 

Would be good to get some PACE relevant stuff raised.

 

See article below 11.7.2018 by Norman Lamb when Science & Technology Committee published their report:

https://www.theguardian.com/educati...-more-investigations-into-research-misconduct

 

Darren Jones is also on the committee and he is onboard after myself and Natalie Boulton met with him in September. Graham Stringer is also a strong supporter of ME campaigns. There is real scope for this committee helping in some way. We just need to get one of the conservatives on the committee up to speed and on side because any proposal will need cross party support.

 

@Jonathan Edwards would you please also be able to add to any submission, by commenting on the meeting when you and @dave30th met with Darren Jones MP Bristol NorthWest (also S&T Committee member)?

 

Side note:
Please note that @KarenSW is still ‘desperately seeking’ constituents of Conservative MPs on this committee:

https://www.s4me.info/threads/uk-parliament-science-and-technology-select-committee.6535/

 

It says it is for 'the wider public' to suggest topics and send in a submission, not just the science community. "an open opportunity for the science community and the wider public to suggest science and technology areas for scrutiny.”

 

Do psychologists and psychiatrists get an easy ride when it comes to evaluating or reviewing medical studies?

 

Open access to suitably anonymised data that published trial results are based on, so the wider community does not have to rely solely on authors' interpretations of their findings, but so findings can be independently evaluated. Also ensure that trials are designed, especially their data structure and storage, so that anonymisation can be achieved with minimal restrictions on open access. If done properly then the bulk of useful data should be available for open access.