Originally Posted by
mattyj
Your GP or even your average specialist or surgeon doesn’t have to and isn’t required to, study data analysis or statistics as part of their qualifications. They can as a minor subject if they do choose but it’s not a focus subject.
That's not correct. Statistics is a compulsory unit for Medicine. Graduates, regardless of subsequent speciality, must be able to understand p-values, hazard ratios, median overall survival rates and the like.
However, it's not like we're trying to solve the Behrens-Fisher problem here. Frankly, you don't need much beyond year 12 maths to work your way through this stuff - it's all fairly basic.
Originally Posted by
mattyj
As such they are not better placed to decide facts from the information available than you or me.
Mmm ... I think that a far better understanding than most of the underlying bio-chemistry and physiology and the relationship between prior and current medical conditions and the predisposition to adverse outcomes probably makes them somewhat better placed. You can argue about how much better placed.
Originally Posted by
mattyj
The media has been atrocious for making hysterical analysis for goodness knows what purpose.
Their purpose is to sell papers, accumulate views, generate comments and the like. 'The sky is falling' tends to play better in that regard than 'Everything's fine'.
And it's not just the media - that little stunt by the Queensland CMO the other day was as shameful as you're likely to see.