Missing data

Missing data

Author: The BMJ August 27, 2013 Duration: 23:25

The problem of missing data is well known, especially in cases where drug companies conceal evidence. However pharmaceutical industry misconduct is not the only cause, and a cluster of papers in this week's BMJ show how aspects of the culture of medical science contribute to the problem.

Elizabeth Loder, BMJ's clinical editor, talks to Harlan Krumholz (Harold H Hines Jr professor of medicine at Yale University) and Joseph Ross (assistant professor of medicine, also at Yale) about missing data from US publicly funded trials. Lisa Bero (professor at the Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of California) describes how adding missing data to meta-analyses of drug trials can change the results, and Richard Riley (senior lecturer in medical statistics at Birmingham University) explains why individual participant meta-analyses aren't as balanced as we may think.


Produced by The BMJ, this weekly audio series delves into the pivotal research and urgent clinical debates shaping modern medicine. Each episode moves beyond the published page, bringing together the authors, critics, and practitioners directly involved to dissect a new study or a pressing health question. The conversation is rigorous and nuanced, designed for those who appreciate the complexity behind headlines. You’ll hear unscripted discussion about methodology, implications for practice, and the occasional healthy disagreement that drives science forward. This isn't just a summary of the latest findings; it's a critical appraisal in real time, offering listeners a front-row seat to the evolving discourse that defines evidence-based care. The Medicine and Science from The BMJ podcast serves as an essential audio companion for clinicians, academics, and anyone keen to understand the ‘why’ and ‘how’ behind medical news. It transforms the latest evidence from the journal into an accessible, thought-provoking dialogue, ensuring that busy professionals can stay deeply informed. Tune in for a direct, intelligent, and often surprising take on the science that matters most.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 1000

Medicine and Science from The BMJ
Podcast Episodes
Wellbeing - QI approach to improving your wellbeing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:56
It's easy to decide to do something like exercise, or a hobby to improve your wellbeing, but actually following through and make that a regular part of your week can be much harder. In this podcast, Pedro Delgado, vice p…
Covid in south Asia - India and Nepal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:37
In this podcast series, Kamran Abbasi, executive editor of The BMJ will convene experts from South Asia to discuss how the pandemic has affected the region, how measures like lock-down and vaccination have been handled,…
Wellbeing - tired or fatigued, and why the difference might matter [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:37
There has been a lot of work on the way in which surgeon's are affected by tiredness - and the whole medical workforce can probably relate to their experience. But there's a difference between tiredness and fatigue, and…
The future of Afghan healthcare [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:30
The infrastructure of Afghanistan healthcare is under threat, as international agencies who run clinics withdraw from the country. At the same time, some of the healthcare workforce are leaving the country, while those w…
Healthcare In Afghanistan Now [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:55
The final evacuation planes have left Kabul airport, and Afghanistan’s government have ceded power to the Taliban. Amongst the international community, worries about what that transition of power means for the people of…
Talk Evidence - real world vaccine data, GP records and CVD [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:53
In this month's Talk Evidence, Helen Macdonald and Joe Ross are back with a wry look at the world of Evidence Based Medicine. They give us a round up of real world data emerging to address various uncertainties about vac…
Junior doctors improving hospital wellbeing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:10
The Midlands Charter, is a set of principles that hospitals in the midlands region of England have signed up to, to improve the health and wellbeing of trainees working in the area. It was created in a huge collaboration…
Wellbeing - scheduling and burnout [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:36
Rota gaps are a big problem when it comes to loading stress on the medical workforce, and there is big pressure to spread the workforce as evenly as possible across wards and shifts. However the tyranny of the rota - esp…
Women’s health and gender inequalities - Legislating for change [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:38
It's been 25 years since the declaration on the rights of women, was signed in Beijing - and in that time the landscape of health car inequity has changed. To celebrate we created 3 podcasts, in collaboration with The WH…