The mouse might have reason to be excited about the results of the research, but humans don't.
Premature ejaculation is a problem for some men. Press releases and media reports of scientific studies are often premature. Here are some examples.
An immune-like function of cells.
The study advances us closer to more effective cancer treatments in the future. Cell competition can eliminate precancerous cells, but it is not known how they identify the abnormal cells. The researchers at Waseda University found a recognizingProtein for cell competition in dog epithelial cells. They speculated that a human's dog-like proteins could be used to eliminate precancerous cells from the body. Maybe, but that is only a speculative thought at this point. They hope that their findings will someday be useful for developing a therapeutic candidate for human cancer.
It is not certain if their findings will advance us closer to more effective cancer treatments in the future. The discovery would have to stand up to further study. There are still many questions that need to be answered before a treatment can be considered for humans. The site of action would be reached by pill or injection. How is it converted into something? Is it safe? What side effects might occur? How effective would it be? A new treatment must be proven safe and effective in a series of human studies before it is approved for marketing. If it passes the first and second studies, the series ends with a randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial. Few of the promising candidates pass the tests and are approved for marketing.
Cell competition is an immune-like function of cells that are not part of the immune system. It shows the complexity of the immune system. It might be a bad idea to boost the immune system. The autoimmune diseases might get worse. It might increase susceptibility to infections and cancer if you use immunosuppression. It is risky to intervene in a complex web that we don't fully understand. Interfering with one part of a complex system of interacting effects can have unforeseen effects on other parts of the system.
A new compound is potentially safer than current drugs.
The press release said that the novel compound is potentially safer than current drugs.
The novel pyrazole derivative AD732 was compared to the non-steroidal drugs indomethacin and celecoxib by researchers in Japan. Why do you choose those drugs? celecoxib was briefly withdrawn from the market after it was found to increase the risk of heart attacks. The researchers found that AD732 was less potent than celecoxib. They thought the new compound would be less likely to cause heart attacks and other side effects. It appeared to be a safer and more effective molecule with promising potential for the management of pain and inflammation even in difficult diseases such as ulcerative colitis. Come on! This was a preliminary study in a rat model and the speculations went far beyond the data.
Is an elevated heart rate related to dementia?
The correlation between elevated heart rate and dementia is not a cause and effect. They told readers to check their resting heart rate and take measures to lower it if it is too high. The data does not justify that advice.
A vaccine for Alzheimer's?
There is research on a vaccine for Alzheimer's. It was effective in mice. If you know of any mice with dementia, you might want to let them know, but it's too early for humans to celebrate. This is not a finished product. The vaccine has only been studied in animals so far, and a small human trial is about to start. We don't know if amyloid is a cause or a consequence of Alzheimer's, and a vaccine would be great, but I'm not optimistic.
Novel vaccine may be able to cure Lipid Disorders.
The researchers at Kumamoto University in Japan have developed a vaccine that works. It could become one of the most cost-effective treatments for obese andcholesterol related disorders. Really? An experimental vaccine was injected into a mouse. The vaccine was shown to be effective in mice, and one of the researchers said it would become one of the new economical therapy choices for dyslipidemia and dyslipidemia-related disorders.
The authors plan to conduct research to test the vaccine's efficacy and safety, as well as make improvements to prolong its effectiveness, according to the press release. Prof. Oike said that they will modify the vaccine to fit the needs of the trials. It is possible to maintain the therapeutic efficacy of the E3 vaccine therapy if you re-immunize every 5 or 6 months.
Wait a minute! It has only been tested in mice, they are going to change the vaccine formula, and they think booster shots may be required as often as 5 months. They don't know what a human vaccine would cost, but they think it would be more economical for use around the world. Talk about premature enthusiasm.
People who report scientific studies need to be aware of reality.
Press releases may be unreliable. One of their goals is to impress their financial sources so funding will continue when they announce positive results. They may not give crucial information. It would be better to make an announcement after the study is published. Science journalists do their readers a disservice when they simply regurgitate a press release.
Science journalists need to understand reality. They need to understand how science works. They are content to just copy from a press release. They make recommendations that are not justified by the data. Preliminary studies may be reported as proven facts. Enthusiastic predictions based on preliminary research can raise hopes for new treatments, but they are often false. Not exactly a fake news, but definitely misleading. It is not reasonable to ask people to change their diet or lifestyle based on speculation.
