A plea for more careful scholarship in reviewing evidence: the case of mammographic screening.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To identify issues of principle and practice giving rise to misunderstandings in reviewing evidence, to illustrate these by reference to the Nordic Cochrane Review (NCR) and its interpretation of two trials of mammographic screening, and to draw lessons for future reviewing of published results.

Methods

A narrative review of the publications of the Nordic Cochrane Review of mammographic screening (NCR), the Swedish Two-County Trial (S2C) and the Canadian National Breast Screening Study 1 and 2 (CNBSS-1 and CNBSS-2).

Results

The NCR concluded that the S2C was unreliable, despite the review's complaints being shown to be mistaken, by direct reference to the original primary publications of the S2C. Repeated concerns were expressed by others about potential su

SUBMITTER: Duffy SW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10630970 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature