[Script Info] Title: [Events] Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One simple vitamin can reduce your risk of heart disease. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Eating chocolate reduces stress in students. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,New drug prolongs lives of patients with rare disease. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Health headlines like these are published\Nevery day, Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,sometimes making opposite claims \Nfrom each other. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There can be a disconnect between broad, Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,attention-grabbing headlines \Nand the often specific, Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,incremental results of the medical \Nresearch they cover. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So how can you avoid being \Nmisled by grabby headlines? Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The best way to assess a headline’s \Ncredibility Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is to look at the original \Nresearch it reports on. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We’ve come up with a hypothetical research\Nscenario Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for each of these three headlines. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Keep watching for the explanation\Nof the first example; Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then pause at the headline to \Nanswer the question. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,These are simplified scenarios. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A real study would detail many more \Nfactors and how it accounted for them, Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but for the purposes of this exercise, Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,assume all the information \Nyou need is included. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Let’s start by considering the \Ncardiovascular effects Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of a certain vitamin, Healthium. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The study finds that participants taking\NHealthium Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,had a higher level of healthy cholesterol \Nthan those taking a placebo. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Their levels became similar to those of \Npeople with naturally high levels Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of this kind of cholesterol. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Previous research has shown that people \Nwith naturally high levels Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of healthy cholesterol have lower \Nrates of heart disease. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So what makes this headline misleading: Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Healthium reduces risk of heart disease. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The problem with this headline is that the\Nresearch didn’t actually investigate Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,whether Healthium reduces heart disease. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It only measured Healthium’s impact Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on levels of a particular \Nkind of cholesterol. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The fact that people with naturally high \Nlevels of that cholesterol Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,have lower risk of heart attacks Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,doesn’t mean that the same will be true Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of people who elevate their cholesterol\Nlevels using Healthium. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now that you’ve cracked the \Ncase of Healthium, Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,try your hand at a particularly alluring \Nmystery: Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the relationship between eating chocolate\Nand stress. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This hypothetical study \Nrecruits ten students. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Half begin consuming a \Ndaily dose of chocolate, Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,while half abstain. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As classmates, they all follow \Nthe same schedule. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,By the end of the study, the chocolate \Neaters are less stressed Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,than their chocolate-free counterparts. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What’s wrong with this headline: Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Eating chocolate reduces \Nstress in students Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It’s a stretch to draw a conclusion about \Nstudents in general from a sample of ten. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That’s because the fewer participants are\Nin a random sample, Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the less likely it is that the sample will\Nclosely represent Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the target population as a whole. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For example, if the broader population of \Nstudents is half male and half female, Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the chance of drawing a sample of 10 Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that’s skewed 70% male and \N30% is about 12%. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In a sample of 100 that would be less than\Na .0025% chance, Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and for a sample of 1000, Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the odds are less than 6 x 10^-36. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Similarly, with fewer participants, Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,each individual’s outcome has a larger \Nimpact on the overall results— Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and can therefore skew big-picture trends. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Still, there are a lot of good reasons for\Nscientists run small studies. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,By starting with a small sample, Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they can evaluate whether the results are \Npromising enough Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to run a more comprehensive, \Nexpensive study. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And some research requires very specific\Nparticipants Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that may be impossible to \Nrecruit in large numbers. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The key is reproducibility— Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if an article draws a conclusion \Nfrom one small study, Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that conclusion may be suspect— Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but if it’s based on many studies \Nthat have found similar results, Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it’s more credible. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We’ve still got one more puzzle. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In this scenario, a study tests a new drug\Nfor a rare, fatal disease. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In a sample of 2,000 patients, Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the ones who start taking the drug upon \Ndiagnosis live longer Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,than those who take the placebo. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This time, the question \Nis slightly different. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What’s one more thing you’d like to know \Nbefore deciding if the headline, Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,New drug prolongs lives of patients\Nwith rare disease, is justified? Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Before making this call, Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you’d want to know how much the drug \Nprolonged the patients’ lives. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sometimes, a study can have results that, Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,while scientifically valid, don’t have \Nmuch bearing on real world outcomes. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For example, one real-life clinical trial \Nof a pancreatic cancer drug Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,found an increase in life expectancy—\Nof ten days. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The next time you see a surprising medical\Nheadline, Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,take a look at the science \Nit’s reporting on. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Even when full papers aren’t \Navailable without a fee, Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you can often find summaries of \Nexperimental design Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and results in freely available abstracts, Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or even within the text \Nof a news articles. Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It’s exciting to see scientific research \Ncovered in the news, Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and important to understand \Nthe studies’ findings.