Here is how to deal with fallacies
http://www.megat.co.uk/wrong/
Think I might just post that on the blog
www.scientific-misconduct.blogspot.com
Aubrey
JW> it is certainly true that many patients are
JW> given treatment without clear
JW> evidence that it is useful for them, but my
JW> understanding of NNT differs
JW> from yours
JW> doesn't a NNT of 200 mean that it is
JW> necessary to have 200 patients for the
JW> effect of the therapy to be statistically significant?
>>From: Reynolds Tim <[log in to unmask]>
>>Reply-To: Reynolds Tim <[log in to unmask]>
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: Re: fallacious argument?
>>Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 11:38:19 +0100
>>
>>We give treatment with clear evidence that it does'nt work to a great
>>number of patients...
>>
>>With statins the NNT to prevent a cardiac event varies up to 200+ depending
>>on the study. It has been proposed that we should also looka the the NTN
>>(number-treated-needlessly) i.e. those not benefitting from treatment -
>>which in the example above NNT = 1 in 200 NTN = 199...
>>
>>
>>
>>*************************************************************************************
>>Prof. Tim Reynolds,
>>Queen's Hospital,
>>Belvedere Rd,
>>Burton-on-Trent,
>>Staffordshire,
>>DE13 0RB
>>
>>work tel: 01283 511511 ext. 4035
>>work fax: 01283 593064
>>work email: [log in to unmask]
>>home email: [log in to unmask]
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>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Clinical biochemistry discussion list
>>[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Joseph WATINE
>>Sent: 11 October 2006 10:24
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: fallacious argument?
>>
>>
>>one of you wrote, a few days ago, that the lack of evidence for the effect
>>of an intervention is not equal to evidence that the intervention has no
>>effect
>>
>>isn't this kind of argument a little bit fallacious?
>>
>>wouldn't some patients, health-professionals, or tax-payers, find it hard
>>to
>>swallow that interventions with no proven benefits (but with proven costs
>>or
>>side effects) are recommended by our profession?
>>
>>Dr Joseph Watine, hôpital de Rodez, France
>>
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JW> community working in clinical biochemistry.
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Regards
Aubrey Blumsohn
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