Friday, April 29, 2005

This is How Science Works?

Use of insecticides linked to lasting neurological problems for farmers: "Use of insecticides linked to lasting neurological problems for farmers" is a study by NIH in which questionnaires were sent to farmers eliciting responses on their historical use of pesticides and questioning them about previously undiagnosed neurological problems. It doesn't seem that NIH actually confirm any of the data, just used the responses and claimed that it gave them "great statistical power."

Think about it? Tell me what pesticides you used in your home 25 years ago, how much and how frequently. Tell me how often you used chemicals on your lawn (weed and feed, spray on) to rid it of weeds over the past 25 years. Also, tell me what neurological problems you have. After all, we are all qualified to "self-diagnose" medical problems, especially minor neurological disorders. "I have a headache, it must be from using Sevin dust in my garden in 1984 and 1988". You, betcha.
Who knows if long-term use of pesticides create physical problems. This study certainly does nothing to resolve the information. Wonder if the "researchers" were looking for the results they "found."

If this is an example of "scientific" studies conducted by the government, then I have a good suggestion for reducing the deficit.

Link found on Junk Science

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