Here are some of the criticisms made by research authorities who, in the June 5 Journal of the American Medical Assn., reviewed the quality of current medical research literature

-- Studies often fail to put results in the context of previous studies

-- Authors of studies do not adequately address legitimate scientific criticism after publication, and journal editors do not require them to do so

-- Study collaborators frequently disagree about their study's conclusions, and the published reports often fail to represent the full range of authors' opinions

-- Guidelines showing how results ought to be reported are often ignored or badly applied