New York Times profiles Avandia researcher Steven Nissen as Naderesque

Wow. How many self respecting doctors and researchers would be flattered by that characterization? It would raise all sorts of questions about one’s scientific objectivity and rigor. But maybe it’s true. The NYT notes this:

In some media interviews, though, he was less guarded. On the ABC television program “Nightline,” Dr. Nissen predicted that the deaths caused by Avandia could “dwarf” the carnage of Sept. 11, 2001.

Wait a minute. Not even his own meta-analysis showed a statistically significant increase in death. Dr. Nissen, you’re feeding the media hype. This issue needs objective scientific discussion, not demagoguery.