You Down with RCTs? (Yeah, You Know Me!)

Unbiased Science

@unbiasedscipod

Education, Health & Fitness, Science

4.5 • 622 Ratings

🗓️ 26 October 2020

⏱️ 53 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this episode we geek out over research study design. We kick-off the episode with a primer on how research studies work and the factors that strengthen and weaken the validity of a study. We set the stage with a discussion of the "counterfactual" which guides the selection of study design. We talk about how research is hypothesis driven and seeks to address specific, measurable, and answerable questions. We discuss the difference between observational and experimental study designs (and give examples of each) and factors that drive selection of research approach. We spend some time discussing randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and characteristics that strengthen our ability to draw causal conclusions. We talk about clinical trials (and their many phases), and set the stage for next week's episode which will cover the current status of COVID-19 treatments and vaccines. PLEASE NOTE: The discussion and information provided in this podcast are for general educational, scientific, and informational purposes only and are not intended as, and should not be treated as, medical or other professional advice for any particular individual or individuals. Every person and medical issue is different, and diagnosis and treatment requires consideration of specific facts often unique to the individual. As such, the information contained in this podcast should not be used as a substitute for consultation with and/or treatment by a doctor or other medical professional. If you are experiencing any medical issue or have any medical concern, you should consult with a doctor or other medical professional. Further, due to the inherent limitations of a podcast such as this as well as ongoing scientific developments, we do not guarantee the completeness or accuracy of the information or analysis provided in this podcast, although, of course we always endeavor to provide comprehensive information and analysis. In no event may Unbiased Science or any of the participants in this podcast be held liable to the listener or anyone else for any decision allegedly made or action allegedly taken or not taken allegedly in reliance on the discussion or information in this podcast or for any damages allegedly resulting from such reliance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to an Airwave Media podcast.
0:04.8	If you're a nurse or future nurse, you know how challenging and rewarding this career can be.
0:11.1	Hi there, I'm Nurse Mo, creator of the Straight A Nursing podcast.
0:15.2	I'd love for you to join me every Thursday as I teach nursing concepts and share tips to help you succeed in school
0:22.7	and at the bedside. Each episode breaks down often complex information so it's easy to understand
0:29.0	so you can feel more confident whether you're taking an exam or taking care of patients.
0:34.2	So subscribe to the Strading Nursing podcast, and I'll see you on Thursday.
0:53.2	Welcome to Unbiased Science, where we bring scientific method to the madness.
0:59.4	We're your hosts, Dr. Jessica Steyer and Dr. Andrea Love.
1:04.1	Last week, we talked about whether or not we can boost our immune systems.
1:10.6	Andrea, did you want to give a little recap?
1:12.7	Sure. I thought this was a really fun episode. We started with a primer about the immune system,
1:19.3	the fact that it's composed of a lot of complicated pieces, including different types of organs,
1:25.2	different types of vessels, different types of cells,
1:27.8	and other sorts of components, and all of them work together in concert to be a functioning
1:32.5	system in our body.
1:34.9	And the concept that we want our immune system to be balanced, to be functional, but we don't
1:41.7	want it to necessarily be stronger.
1:43.9	We talked a little bit about
1:45.4	the fact that there are no magic bullets, that you want healthy lifestyle habits. So sleep,
1:50.9	vaccines, physical activity, and a healthy diet are the best ways to ensure a healthy and functioning
1:58.1	immune system. But the fact that if we could actually boost our
	...

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