Question

You have been doing research to help your grandmother understand two new drugs for osteoporosis. One publication, Eurasian Journal of Bone and Joint Medicine, contains articles with data only showing the effectiveness of one of these new drugs. A pharmaceutical company funded the Eurasian Journal of Bone and Joint Medicine production and most advertisements in the journal are for this company's products. In your searches, you find other articles that show the same drug has only limited effectiveness. Pick the best answer that would help you determine the credibility of the Eurasian Journal of Bone and Joint Medicine. Select one

a. It is not a credible source of scientific research because only studies showing the effectiveness of the company's drugs were included in the journal.
b. It is a credible source of scientific research because the publication lists reviewers with appropriate credentials who evaluated the quality of the research articles prior to publication.
c. It is not a credible source of scientific research because there were advertisements within the journal.
d. It is a credible source of scientific research because the studies published in the journal were later replicated by other researchers.

Answer 1

The credibility of the Eurasian Journal of Bone and Joint Medicine should be assessed by checking for independent peer-review and replication of studies, considering the journal's pharmaceutical funding and advertisement connections. Independent replication of results bolsters credibility, contrasting with isolated reports of limited drug effectiveness.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the credibility of the Eurasian Journal of Bone and Joint Medicine in your research on new drugs for osteoporosis, it is essential to consider the possibility of bias due to pharmaceutical funding and advertising. While the publication of studies in a journal may indicate a certain level of credibility, one should always look for peer-review and replication of the studies by other researchers to confirm the findings. The peer review involves a panel of impartial experts assessing the validity, methodology, and scientific legitimacy of the studies. If the favorable results published in the journal have been replicated by independent researchers without affiliation to the pharmaceutical company, this would strengthen the credibility of the initial findings and the journal itself. Since different articles have indicated limited effectiveness of one of the drugs, further examination of such studies is important to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the drug's efficacy.

In summary, while one must consider journal credibility, the ultimate validation comes through independent replication of studies. Thus, relying solely on one publication, especially when funded by a single pharmaceutical company, might not provide the most balanced view. Instead, a broader review of the literature and verified replication of results is the best approach to assess a drug's effectiveness for managing osteoporosis.