Epidemiology beyond its limits

Lauren E. McCullough; Maret L. Maliniak; Avnika B. Amin; Julia M. Baker; Davit Baliashvili; Julie Barberio; Chloe M. Barrera; Carolyn A. Brown; Lindsay J. Collin; Alexa A. Freedman; David C. Gibbs; Maryam B. Haddad; Eric W. Hall; Sarah Hamid; Kristin R.V. Harrington; Aaron M. Holleman; John A. Kaufman; Mohammed A. Khan; Katie Labgold; Veronica C. Lee; Amyn A. Malik; Laura M. Mann; Kristin J. Marks; Kristin N. Nelson; Zerleen S. Quader; Katherine Ross-Driscoll; Supriya Sarkar; Monica P. Shah; Iris Y. Shao; Jonathan P. Smith; Kaitlyn K. Stanhope; Marisol Valenzuela-Lara; Miriam E. Van Dyke; Kartavya J. Vyas; Timothy L. Lash

doi:10.1126/sciadv.abn3328

Epidemiology beyond its limits

Lauren E. McCullough^*, Maret L. Maliniak, Avnika B. Amin, Julia M. Baker, Davit Baliashvili, Julie Barberio, Chloe M. Barrera, Carolyn A. Brown, Lindsay J. Collin, Alexa A. Freedman, David C. Gibbs, Maryam B. Haddad, Eric W. Hall, Sarah Hamid, Kristin R.V. Harrington, Aaron M. Holleman, John A. Kaufman, Mohammed A. Khan, Katie Labgold, Veronica C. LeeAmyn A. Malik, Laura M. Mann, Kristin J. Marks, Kristin N. Nelson, Zerleen S. Quader, Katherine Ross-Driscoll, Supriya Sarkar, Monica P. Shah, Iris Y. Shao, Jonathan P. Smith, Kaitlyn K. Stanhope, Marisol Valenzuela-Lara, Miriam E. Van Dyke, Kartavya J. Vyas, Timothy L. Lash

^*Corresponding author for this work

Preventive Medicine

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

In 1995, journalist Gary Taubes published an article in Science titled “Epidemiology faces its limits,” which questioned the utility of nonrandomized epidemiologic research and has since been cited more than 1000 times. He highlighted numerous examples of research topics he viewed as having questionable merit. Studies have since accumulated for these associations. We systematically evaluated current evidence of 53 example associations discussed in the article. Approximately one-quarter of those presented as doubtful are now widely viewed as causal based on current evaluations of the public health consensus. They include associations between alcohol consumption and breast cancer, residential radon exposure and lung cancer, and the use of tanning devices and melanoma. This history should inform current debates about the reproducibility of epidemiologic research results.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	eabn3328
Journal	Science Advances
Volume	8
Issue number	23
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abn3328
State	Published - Jun 2022

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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McCullough, L. E., Maliniak, M. L., Amin, A. B., Baker, J. M., Baliashvili, D., Barberio, J., Barrera, C. M., Brown, C. A., Collin, L. J., Freedman, A. A., Gibbs, D. C., Haddad, M. B., Hall, E. W., Hamid, S., Harrington, K. R. V., Holleman, A. M., Kaufman, J. A., Khan, M. A., Labgold, K., ... Lash, T. L. (2022). Epidemiology beyond its limits. Science Advances, 8(23), Article eabn3328. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abn3328

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title = "Epidemiology beyond its limits",

abstract = "In 1995, journalist Gary Taubes published an article in Science titled “Epidemiology faces its limits,” which questioned the utility of nonrandomized epidemiologic research and has since been cited more than 1000 times. He highlighted numerous examples of research topics he viewed as having questionable merit. Studies have since accumulated for these associations. We systematically evaluated current evidence of 53 example associations discussed in the article. Approximately one-quarter of those presented as doubtful are now widely viewed as causal based on current evaluations of the public health consensus. They include associations between alcohol consumption and breast cancer, residential radon exposure and lung cancer, and the use of tanning devices and melanoma. This history should inform current debates about the reproducibility of epidemiologic research results.",

author = "McCullough, {Lauren E.} and Maliniak, {Maret L.} and Amin, {Avnika B.} and Baker, {Julia M.} and Davit Baliashvili and Julie Barberio and Barrera, {Chloe M.} and Brown, {Carolyn A.} and Collin, {Lindsay J.} and Freedman, {Alexa A.} and Gibbs, {David C.} and Haddad, {Maryam B.} and Hall, {Eric W.} and Sarah Hamid and Harrington, {Kristin R.V.} and Holleman, {Aaron M.} and Kaufman, {John A.} and Khan, {Mohammed A.} and Katie Labgold and Lee, {Veronica C.} and Malik, {Amyn A.} and Mann, {Laura M.} and Marks, {Kristin J.} and Nelson, {Kristin N.} and Quader, {Zerleen S.} and Katherine Ross-Driscoll and Supriya Sarkar and Shah, {Monica P.} and Shao, {Iris Y.} and Smith, {Jonathan P.} and Stanhope, {Kaitlyn K.} and Marisol Valenzuela-Lara and {Van Dyke}, {Miriam E.} and Vyas, {Kartavya J.} and Lash, {Timothy L.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: Copyright {\textcopyright} 2022 The Authors, some rights reserved.",

year = "2022",

month = jun,

doi = "10.1126/sciadv.abn3328",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "8",

journal = "Science Advances",

issn = "2375-2548",

publisher = "American Association for the Advancement of Science",

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McCullough, LE, Maliniak, ML, Amin, AB, Baker, JM, Baliashvili, D, Barberio, J, Barrera, CM, Brown, CA, Collin, LJ, Freedman, AA, Gibbs, DC, Haddad, MB, Hall, EW, Hamid, S, Harrington, KRV, Holleman, AM, Kaufman, JA, Khan, MA, Labgold, K, Lee, VC, Malik, AA, Mann, LM, Marks, KJ, Nelson, KN, Quader, ZS, Ross-Driscoll, K, Sarkar, S, Shah, MP, Shao, IY, Smith, JP, Stanhope, KK, Valenzuela-Lara, M, Van Dyke, ME, Vyas, KJ & Lash, TL 2022, 'Epidemiology beyond its limits', Science Advances, vol. 8, no. 23, eabn3328. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abn3328

TY - JOUR

T1 - Epidemiology beyond its limits

AU - McCullough, Lauren E.

AU - Maliniak, Maret L.

AU - Amin, Avnika B.

AU - Baker, Julia M.

AU - Baliashvili, Davit

AU - Barberio, Julie

AU - Barrera, Chloe M.

AU - Brown, Carolyn A.

AU - Collin, Lindsay J.

AU - Freedman, Alexa A.

AU - Gibbs, David C.

AU - Haddad, Maryam B.

AU - Hall, Eric W.

AU - Hamid, Sarah

AU - Harrington, Kristin R.V.

AU - Holleman, Aaron M.

AU - Kaufman, John A.

AU - Khan, Mohammed A.

AU - Labgold, Katie

AU - Lee, Veronica C.

AU - Malik, Amyn A.

AU - Mann, Laura M.

AU - Marks, Kristin J.

AU - Nelson, Kristin N.

AU - Quader, Zerleen S.

AU - Ross-Driscoll, Katherine

AU - Sarkar, Supriya

AU - Shah, Monica P.

AU - Shao, Iris Y.

AU - Smith, Jonathan P.

AU - Stanhope, Kaitlyn K.

AU - Valenzuela-Lara, Marisol

AU - Van Dyke, Miriam E.

AU - Vyas, Kartavya J.

AU - Lash, Timothy L.

PY - 2022/6

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DO - 10.1126/sciadv.abn3328

M3 - Article

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AN - SCOPUS:85131772138

SN - 2375-2548

VL - 8

JO - Science Advances

JF - Science Advances

IS - 23

M1 - eabn3328

ER -

Epidemiology beyond its limits

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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