This page discusses the need for controlled experiments to establish causation between factors A and B, highlighting the impracticalities in human studies that lead to the use of epidemiological metho...This page discusses the need for controlled experiments to establish causation between factors A and B, highlighting the impracticalities in human studies that lead to the use of epidemiological methods. It emphasizes the importance of validating new drugs and treatments through clinical studies to ensure they improve upon existing methods. Additionally, it outlines the scientific approach, which combines common sense with specific characteristics that define scientific inquiry.
This page explores the difference between correlation and causation, using smoking and lung cancer as a case study. It identifies criteria for establishing causation and cites John Snow's cholera maps...This page explores the difference between correlation and causation, using smoking and lung cancer as a case study. It identifies criteria for establishing causation and cites John Snow's cholera maps as an early epidemiological example. The text underscores the health impact of smoking and mentions environmental health risks reported in the media. To make informed decisions regarding health claims, the author recommends five criteria for evaluating such reports.
