SGU Episode 593

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SGU Episode 593
November 19th 2016
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SGU 592                      SGU 594

Skeptical Rogues
S: Steven Novella

B: Bob Novella

C: Cara Santa Maria

J: Jay Novella

E: Evan Bernstein

Quote of the Week

'They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it's not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance.' Terry Pratchett

Terry Pratchett

Links
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Show Notes
Forum Discussion


Introduction

You're listening to the Skeptics' Guide to the Universe, your escape to reality.

Forgotten Superheroes of Science ()

  • Percy Lavon Julian: Percy Lavon Julian 1899-1975, was a brilliant African American research chemist and pioneer who rose to great career heights despite the obstacles in his path.
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News Items

FTC and Homeopathy ()

Stoern Liquidates ()

STDs Rising ()

Finding Antibiotics in the Genome ()

What's the Word

  • Isotropy
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Questions and Emails

Question #1: P-Hacking ()

Hello everyone, long time listener and first time writer. I drive a lot for work and I love when you cram knowledge in my ears to shape my thinking. On the 10/8 SGU podcast you mentioned the concept of p hacking in the context of power poses. I don't know if I understand the p-hacking concept well. My question centers around research connected to my work. I'm in the process of launching one of the Injectable PCSK9 inhibitors in the cardio-metabolic world. Amgen has one of the products, and Regeneron/Sanofi-Aventis have the other one. We both got FDA marketing approval on the basis of our ability to dramatically lower a surrogate biomarker – LDL cholesterol. The FDA highly encouraged both manufacturer groups to complete outcomes trials to show the true, if any, impact on real world mortality in heart attacks and strokes, for example. Both organizations have initiated large prospective outcomes trials with about a total of forty five thousand patients between them. For example, on Regeneron side, it's a 5 year outcomes trial for 19,000 patients. However, there has been talk that if there is a clear benefit signal early in the trial, that the FDA may be OK with that and allow that outcomes data to be published and change the product label. We may follow the patients after that point, but the FDA and the manufacturers will get what they feel they needed from the trial data. Anyway, if the FDA calls the trial a success and allows us to proclaim we have a clear benefit in MACE, earlier than the actual end of the trial – does that constitute p-hacking? Thanks Heath Bonner Arlington, TX

Science or Fiction ()

Item #1: By studying an owl’s wing, engineers have designed an attachment that can reduce the noise generated by existing wind turbines by 10 decibels. Item #2: Researchers have demonstrated an ultra-long-lasting oral drug delivery mechanism that can last for 14 days on a single dose. Item #3: Astronomers have discovered for the first time a star that is not detectably rotating.

Skeptical Quote of the Week ()

'They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it's not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance.' Terry Pratchett

S: The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe is produced by SGU Productions, dedicated to promoting science and critical thinking. For more information on this and other episodes, please visit our website at theskepticsguide.org, where you will find the show notes as well as links to our blogs, videos, online forum, and other content. You can send us feedback or questions to info@theskepticsguide.org. Also, please consider supporting the SGU by visiting the store page on our website, where you will find merchandise, premium content, and subscription information. Our listeners are what make SGU possible.


References


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