The Science of Medical Science

Here's a study published in JAMA that confirms what we all know: initial research on medical treatments sometimes oversells the efficacy of the treatment and is not confirmed by subsequent study.  But -- it is likely to be volleyed about as evidence that we can't trust scientists.  Link: Contradicted and Initially Stronger Effects in Highly Cited Clinical Research, July 13, 2005.

Of course, the NIH consulting scandal didn't help! 44 NIH researchers violated consulting ethics rules