Comments on: Blood Feud http://www.scienceline.org/2009/01/06/health-rettner-artificial-blood/ The Shortest Distance Between You and Science Sun, 14 Mar 2010 11:38:46 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Mare Ward http://www.scienceline.org/2009/01/06/health-rettner-artificial-blood/comment-page-1/#comment-3333 Mare Ward Sun, 30 Aug 2009 07:31:47 +0000 http://scienceline.org/2009/01/06/health-rettner-artificial-blood/#comment-3333 Meta-analysis of things dis-similar is something of which to be cautious. Anybody see any comparison of the need for study (or meta-analysis) of artificial blood (with it's use only in emergency circumstances when natural blood is not available) and the need for study (or meta-analysis) of the effects of artificial baby milk-infant formula. The World Health Organization recommends the use of artificial baby milk only in emergency circumstances, also, when human natural milk is not available. Any thoughts about why studies weren't done before this artificial substance was allowed on human subjects (small vulnerable ones, at that) without proper analysis of its effects? Meta-analysis of things dis-similar is something of which to be cautious. Anybody see any comparison of the need for study (or meta-analysis) of artificial blood (with it’s use only in emergency circumstances when natural blood is not available) and the need for study (or meta-analysis) of the effects of artificial baby milk-infant formula. The World Health Organization recommends the use of artificial baby milk only in emergency circumstances, also, when human natural milk is not available. Any thoughts about why studies weren’t done before this artificial substance was allowed on human subjects (small vulnerable ones, at that) without proper analysis of its effects?

]]> By: Bill Gregg http://www.scienceline.org/2009/01/06/health-rettner-artificial-blood/comment-page-1/#comment-3128 Bill Gregg Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:02:33 +0000 http://scienceline.org/2009/01/06/health-rettner-artificial-blood/#comment-3128 Perhaps Northfield Laboratories and Biopure Corp. should re-direct some of their resources into producing commercial quantities of O-neg. whole blood generated by haemopoietic Stem Cells. Perhaps Northfield Laboratories and Biopure Corp. should re-direct some of their resources into producing commercial quantities of O-neg. whole blood generated by haemopoietic Stem Cells.

]]> By: TSvi Epstein http://www.scienceline.org/2009/01/06/health-rettner-artificial-blood/comment-page-1/#comment-2611 TSvi Epstein Wed, 07 Jan 2009 07:31:57 +0000 http://scienceline.org/2009/01/06/health-rettner-artificial-blood/#comment-2611 Meta-analysis is useful in many places. But if studies of things that are too dis-similar are lump together, it can produce distorted results. For example a study of mother's milk and a study of pig's milk might be used together to conclude that milk causes indigestion problems in babies. Yet a meta-analysis of studies of different brands generic drugs with very much the same chemistry could produce very valid conclusions. I am a R&D product development scientist, but not in the medical field...and not a profession statistician. Meta-analysis is useful in many places. But if studies of things that are too dis-similar are lump together, it can produce distorted results. For example a study of mother’s milk and a study of pig’s milk might be used together to conclude that milk causes indigestion problems in babies. Yet a meta-analysis of studies of different brands generic drugs with very much the same chemistry could produce very valid conclusions.

I am a R&D product development scientist, but not in the medical field…and not a profession statistician.

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