for the latest info, visit https://www.ascpskincare.com/updates/blog-posts/coronavirus-and-your-practice 19
Research Letters
Are Not the Same as
Research
Due to the urgency of the
situation, researchers are
collecting as much data as they
can, as fast as possible, under
strained circumstances. They
are not observing the stringent
statistical methods used in
more carefully designed clinical
trials or observational studies
because the current situation
does not allow for that. The
articles themselves describe
the methods undertaken,
which were clearly chosen to
attempt to provide raw data
to the scientific community.
This is valuable information,
but comes with the caveat
that it has not yet undergone
full scientific screening.
Note About Source
Reliability
Take a quick look at the Johns
Hopkins source cited at the end
of this article. You might notice
that it states the date 2017. Many
uninformed readers could jump to
the conclusion that I have used an
outdated source, or that COVID-19
has been around for longer and the
current hysteria is all a hoax. That
kind of thinking is how conspiracy
theories are born, and they put
people in danger. The actual reason
for this is because the Johns
Hopkins ABX guides were originally
developed in 2017. At the time of
writing, this guide states: "Updated:
March 23, 2020." This is what is
meant by "due diligence" when
appraising any source. Two excellent
nonspecialist sources to refer to if
the raw research is too complex
are The Conversation, written by
academics for the non-specialist
layperson; and the Johns Hopkins
Hub. Both provide further information
on recent research and key issues
surrounding the current pandemic.
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