What all of us scientists and patients are up against

[diogenes]

This is not strictly relevant here, but its effects have significant implications in the difficulty of getting the present accepted TSH-driven thyroid function/disease paradigm to change.

I came across this quotation in a book by Stuart Ritchie: Science Fictions, which tell all about why science and especially medicine is so diminished in value and credibility. I quote:

"Anyone who reads journals widely and critically is forced to realise there are scarcely any bars to eventual publication. There seems to be 1) no study too fragmented, 2) no hypothesis too trivial, 3) no literature citation too biased or too egotistical, 4) no design too warped, 5) no methodology too bungled, 6) no presentation of results too inaccurate 7) too obscure or 8) too contradictory, 9) no analysis too self-serving, 10) no argument too circular, 11) no conclusions too trifling. 12) or too unjustified, 13) and no grammar and syntax too offensive for a paper to end up in print."

This is what honest scientific reporting is up against - a result of the action of grant giving to scientists based on the number of publications they make. It encourages all of the wrongful behaviour above. This includes thyroidology: I have seen several papers where the conclusions were completely at odds with what the data actually showed. It is a scandal which hinders advances in knowledge and inhibits the necessary changes in actions resulting from them.

[diogenes Remembering]

This, to add. Two of us are retired, and therefore aren't constrained by the need to get grants to do the work. This is liberating, in that we are quite independent of any funding body that would examine and decide on or refuse any programme we might put forward. In this way, we are completely at liberty to work free from any constraint by medics on the funding panels who might refuse us the means to carry on. I believe this helps our thinking greatly, because we have both the time to do it and the freedom to chose what we do. The influential naysayers are powerless, which is partly why they won't acknowledge our work, since we are much more flexible.

[RedApple in reply to diogenes]

Thanks to all of you for continually being the voices of reason in this awful thyroid wilderness.

[m7-cola in reply to diogenes]

Good for you!! And thanks

[helvella in reply to diogenes]

The rate at which you have been publishing suggests you are very far from retired.

Indeed, I suggest that you are putting out more than even significant teams elsewhere. At least, more that is of interest and relevance.

[PaulRobinson]

Thank you for continuing to try.

Bashing your head against a brick wall is not a lot of fun!

Thank you for persisting.

I worry that the people with power in this area, want a fast conveyor belt where patients arrive in a doctors office, labs are looked at (regardless of how the patient feels or how low their FT3 might be in the range - if it is measured at all), and the next change to the Levothyroxine (T4) is made or not made. Five minutes in and out - ten if lucky. I fear the reluctance to accept more than this might be based on the fear of the work increase and thinking involved if simplistic TSH, FT4 medicine is not the gold-standard.

Thank you anyway!

Best wishes, Paul

[Hillwoman in reply to PaulRobinson]

Indeed. This is what another member of the forum describes as "flowchart medicine", but it's married to over-concern with the GP practice's (or hospital) finances, with a good splash of laziness on top.

[UrsaP]

So very true...

[Hidden]

I think its depressingly relevant and thankyou for highlighting how the system has become corrupted and is being abused. It must be soul destroying for those who are still having to navigate such a ‘swamp’!

[jgelliss]

Diogenes your hard work is our *Gain* . Please do not ever entertain retirement . We need voices like yours .

Thank You for your very hard work for the silent voices benefits.

[LapisSW]

Thank you from those who do not have your knowledge or experience.

[penny]

I am constantly in awe of the expertise and dedication of members and administrators of this website. If we seem to take you for granted, this is not the case. My thanks for all you do now and for the future.

[Star13]

You are the voice of the growing tens of thousands of suffering patients, who without you would have no choice and no life. Knowledge is powerful, thank you for supplying it.

[nightingale-56]

You and your colleagues are our stars shining in the darkness of Thyroid treatment (or lack of). Please continue to light our way. Thank you all.