Jaipur, 21 September 2019
The economic atmosphere is in the state of an active spur in the increasing level of scientific exactitude where the consumers, payers and decision-makers constantly demand to differentiate products and evaluate them. There is thus always a need to provide a value-based evidence data system which the pharmaceutical and medicine industry can use to define their product value. The approach that is to be followed in collecting the data evidence, understanding the data behind it and interpreting the same was what Krishanu Chakraborty on the 2nd day of Talk Journalism 2019.
He took up an example of a scientific study that says, “Eating garlic can help prevent age-related memory loss”. The example was picked up by him in order to explain how this study was conducted on mice and if there is any evidence to make sure if it will hold true for humans too. In order to elaborate further, he even talked about Arvind Subramanian, the veteran Indian economist and former Chief Economic Adviser to the Government of India who took up some countries to analyse that we are overestimating the growth of GDP. Subramanian in his working paper dramatically claimed that the rate of GDP is growing by 5.5%. Finally, to add, he threw light on India conducting a program to inject worms on National Deworming Day to treat the intestinal worm infections. The initiative has found support from WHO, UNICEF, World Bank and 32 crores kids are injected for the same.
He made the audience understand how in order to generate an evidence one has to falsify the counter-statement of a hypothesis and to test the quality of evidence a robust experimental set up is to be designed to ensure that the credibility is intact, there is no room for replicacy, and the documentation of the drug or any product is not published. He even advised to ensure credibility we can once speak to the author of the published report. Drug trial pre-registration is conducted by Indian Council of Medical Research. To cross-check in the absence of evidence an “Indigenous Model” is to be constructed to have data evidence transparency.
It was a scintillating session which benefitted the audience highly in understanding data and analytics.
Text: Sapna Isswani | Copy Edit: Niharika Raina | Photo: Sapna Isswani | Photo Desk: Sagar Samuel | Editorial Coordination: Rupali Soni and Niharika Raina