Are we doing any good by doing really well? (Where's the Bacon?)

Area of Science:

• History and Philosophy of Science
• Medical Research Evaluation
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• Francis Bacon's philosophy emphasized knowledge for human betterment.
• Modern science aims to produce works that relieve man's estate.
• Current scientific practices are assessed for their effectiveness in achieving this goal.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate key aspects of current scientific efforts.
• To identify shortcomings in areas like cancer mortality and evidence-based medicine.
• To propose corrective actions for enhancing the impact of scientific knowledge.

Main Methods:

• Brief assessment of selected current scientific efforts.
• Analysis of cancer mortality data and trends.
• Review of medical literature, evidence-based medicine, clinical trials, and observational databases.
• Examination of academic promotion and tenure criteria.

Main Results:

• Several current scientific efforts appear to have fallen short of their intended purpose.
• Specific areas of concern include cancer mortality reduction and the utility of medical literature.
• Existing systems for clinical trials, databases, and academic advancement may require revision.

Conclusions:

• Current scientific endeavors require critical re-evaluation to ensure they effectively serve humanity.
• Proposed corrective measures aim to improve the practical application of scientific knowledge.
• Reforming academic criteria may be necessary to foster more impactful research.