Healthy scepticism: how to read medical research critically

EBNEO had a thought-provoking session at the CEPAS conference, "Trustworthiness and Spin in Academic Publishing"

Prof Gautham Suresh, president of EBNEO, dissected the importance of critical appraisal in clinical research and evidence-based practice.

One key message was that good research starts with good study design, not with data analysis. Pre-specifying hypotheses and statistical analysis plans helps prevent p-hacking, selective reporting and the temptation to make the results fit the hypothesis. As the speaker emphasised, you cannot fix a poor study design with sophisticated statistical analysis.

The session also highlighted the need to look beyond abstracts and p-values. Be alert to spin, predatory journals and the difference between absence of evidence and evidence of absence. Increasing concerns about research fraud and AI-generated publications make critical appraisal even more important.

The take-home message for clinicians: don’t accept published findings at face value. Assess the validity of the study, the clinical importance of its results, and whether the evidence really supports a change in practice. We need less research, better research, and research done for the right reasons.

Find some photos below!