Should epidemiologists always publish their results? Yes, almost always.
Advances in science are made when the scientific community shares and debates ideas and results openly. In this process there will be controversy and strong disagreements. No study is perfect: many suffer from inconsistencies, methodologic problems, and novel findings that often have very low prior probabilities. An open debate is a healthy and necessary part of this process and we should not seek to hide or avoid a constructive discussion by reporting selectively.
Kheifets
Leeka
L
Department of Epidemiology, UCLA School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095-1772, USA. kheifets@ucla.edu
Olsen
Jørn
J
D004813:Epidemiology; D017594:Publication Bias; D011643:Publishing; D012106:Research