Why do we worship P < .05?
The headlines shout "medical breakthrough." The study results are significant. Regulatory approval, billions of dollars in drug sales, publications in high-impact journals, promotions, tenure and fame, all because P < .05. How did the P value get to play such a prominent role in how medicine is practiced?
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Medical School, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA. dvn@case.edu
Duncan
D
Neuhauser
Lloyd
L
Provost
D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D006801:Humans; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*