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1/n A webinar from @CDC_Genomics on Mendelian randomization (MR) highlights some under-appreciated aspects of MR; this thread outlines these
george davey smith
10.1K posts
- I’m clearly suffering from memory loss as I have vague recall of 2020/1 when I thought some TV ⭐️ experts were resisting any relaxation of lockdowns. But apparently they weren’t & were worried about the terrible effects on kids. Will check myself in for cognitive function tests
- Vaccine advice quiz: would you prefer to take advice from (1) a self-appointed group who fail to recognise SARS-CoV-2 is endemic 18 months after it became obvious (2) a due-process appointed group that actually consists of established vaccine experts?
- Convalescent plasma therapy used in 100,000s of patients and Recovery trial now suggests no benefit & evidence grows that its use has contributed to emergence of new variants. Don't believe "real world evidence": RCTs essential to avoid unanticipated harms
- PNAS editor's rejection of paper that fails to replicate highly cited PNAS nonsense with 10x statistical power and vastly better phenotyping
- As things get better we see the ratcheting up of how "worrying", "very worrying" and "extremely worrying" the any signs of relaxation of restrictions are. Perhaps what's unbearably worrying is the potential disappearance of a daily TV & radio platform for expressing such worry?🤔
- Replying to @MariaUlokoCongrats to your dad! My dad who left school at minimum school leaving age in 1930s got a degree with the wonderful @OpenUniversity at 66, proudest (and super emotional) moment applauding as he collected his degree. Hope you can see him receive his degree in these weird times
- Conferences/seminars have increasingly weird and restrictive rules on sharing what is said: here is a standard disclaimer for talks I give
- Trying to find the epidemiology textbook that says that every single form of study design is invalid and unethical, except for the use of fear-inducing floating numerators. Anyone any ideas which one it is?
- China is abandoning its zero covid before the policy further destabilizes the country. In the UK as well as China a self-appointed group denied the scientific evidence, which is that there was no other prospect than SARS-CoV-2 becoming endemic /cont
- Mendelian Randomisation (MR) is going to hell in a handcart, with an exponential weekly increase of papers with Mendelian Randomisation in the title, most of them nonsense. 25th April 4.30pm online or in person @ucl I'll talk about what should be done forms.office.com/pages/response…
- The late Doug Altman was the most generous & modest global (statistical) superstar you could ever meet, asked for an opinion of an idea he'd sound so positive it would take a while for you to realise he was gently explaining to you a fundamental flaw he'd instantly spotted
- The massive promotion of some "experts" during covid by certain media, eg @guardian made some views, like "zero covid" - that were rejected by most scientists - appear rational. An ironic pairing here & short 🧵/cont theguardian.com/commentisfree/……… dailymail.co.uk/health/article……
- I am extremely worried that not enough people are extremely worried
