Sarepta, eteplirsen: anecdote, data, surrogate outcomes, and the FDA

The Duchenne’s treatment made by Sarepta (eteplirsen) has been in the news this week, as a troubling example of the FDA lowering its bar for approval of new medicines. The FDA expert advisory panel decided not to approve this treatment, because the evidence for any benefit is weak; but there was extensive lobbying from well-organised patients and, eventually, the FDA overturned the opinion of its own […]

The Cancer Drugs Fund is producing dangerous, bad data: randomise everyone, everywhere!

There are recurring howls in my work. One of them is this: in general, if you don’t know which intervention works best, then you should randomise everyone, everywhere. This is for good reason: uncertainty costs lives, through sub-optimal treatment. Wherever randomised trials are the right approach, you should embed them in routine clinical care. This is an argument I’ve made, with colleagues, in […]

Bloomberg Law Brief: AZ Court on Cell Phone Privacy (Audio)

Lance Rogers, a legal editor for Bloomberg BNA, discusses why The Arizona Supreme Court just ruled that a man didn't lose his expectation of privacy in a smart phone just because he failed to protect it with a passcode and left it unattended in a room full of police officers and others. The court rejected the argument that police were free to search the phone because Robin Peoples abandoned it when he left it behind in his deceased girlfriend's apartment as police and paramedics descended on the scene. He speaks with Bloomberg Law hosts June Grasso and Michael Best on Bloomberg Radio's "Bloomberg Law." Bloomberg's Karen Moskow and Bob Moon report the day's top legal stories.

RPGCast - Episode 398: "I Think You Mean Seven...?"

Today's podcast has a feline bend, but we still aren't the official Cat Fancy podcast. The full crew is here today with tons of games, tons of news, and tons of ERROR: NON-CAPCOM SOFTWARE DETECTED. PLEASE INSERT STREET FIGHTER V DISC TO REINSTALL PC AND CONTINUE.

Bloomberg Law Brief: SEC Charges Leon Cooperman (Audio)

Erik Gordon, a professor at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business and Michigan Law School, and Richard Painter, a Professor at the University of Minnesota Law School, discuss the insider trading allegations against Leon Cooperman, in which the Securities and Exchange Commission accuses Cooperman of using his status as a major shareholder in Atlas Pipeline Partners to earn $4 million before the sale of a company asset in 2010. Cooperman's firm, Omega Advisors, currently has $5.4 billion in assets under management, but that is already starting to fall as investors pull out of the firm, deciding to leave before Cooperman's case goes to trial. They speak with Bloomberg Law host June Grasso on Bloomberg Radio's "Bloomberg Law." Bloomberg's Karen Moskow and John Tucker report the day's top legal stories.

Taking transparency beyond results: ethics committees must work in the open

Here’s a useful paper we’ve just published in the BMJ, documenting problems in transparency around approval processes for randomised trials. There’s a basic rule in clinical research: you’re only supposed to do a trial comparing two treatments when you really don’t know which one is best, otherwise you’d be knowingly randomising half your participants to an […]

Events in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Auckland

Hi there, I’m doing a few events in Australia and NZ this week: in Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland (only 25 tickets left), and Brisbane. Here‘s a good fun interview I did with The Conversation that gets very nerdy, on the poor state of science, COMPare, statins, reproducibility and transparency. I’ll post a big backlog of interviews, and papers, over […]

Bloomberg Law: SEC Accuses Cooperman of Insider Trading (Audio)

(Bloomberg) -- Erik Gordon, a professor at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business and Michigan Law School, and Richard Painter, a Professor at the University of Minnesota Law School, discuss the insider trading allegations against Leon Cooperman, in which the Securities and Exchange Commission accuses Cooperman of using his status as a major shareholder in Atlas Pipeline Partners to earn $4 million before the sale of a company asset in 2010. Cooperman's firm, Omega Advisors, currently has $5.4 billion in assets under management, but that is already starting to fall as investors pull out of the firm, deciding to leave before Cooperman's case goes to trial. They speak with Bloomberg Law host June Grasso on Bloomberg Radio's "Bloomberg Law."

Bloomberg Law: Deutsche Bank and `Bridgegate' Trial (Audio)

(Bloomberg) -- Elliott Stein, a senior litigation analyst for Bloomberg Intelligence, discusses the latest news in Deutsche Bank's $14 billion fine. Deutsche Bank's stock continues to fall as the German lender tries to find a way to lower the $14 billion fine levied against the bank by the U.S. Department of Justice. The multi-billion dollar fine would penalize the bank for its role in issuing risky mortgage back securities from 2005 to 2007. And Robert Mintz, a partner at McCarter and English, discusses the opening arguments in the 'bridgegate' trial. Opening arguments were made in a Newark federal court room on Monday, where prosecutors will try to prove that Bridget Anne Kelly, the governor's former deputy chief of staff, and Bill Baroni, the former deputy executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, deliberately arranged lane closures on the George Washington Bridge. They speak with with Bloomberg Law hosts June Grasso and Michael Best on Bloomberg Radio's "Bloomberg Law."

Bloomberg Law Brief: Dershowitz's 'Electile Dysfunction'(Audio)

Alan Dershowitz, emeritus professor at Harvard Law School, and author of the new book, "Electile Dysfunction," which offers readers a commentary on campaign rhetoric and analyses the most important issues that currently divide Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. He speaks with Bloomberg Law hosts June Grasso and Michael Best on Bloomberg Radio's "Bloomberg Law." Bloomberg's Karen Moskow and Bob Moon report the day's top legal stories.

Hello Stranger

Does the Internet need another blog? More comment and opinions? More content? No. But that hasn’t stopped me resurrecting my blog after a 5 year hiatus. There’s just so much going on in music and tech that I thought now would be a good time to start writing again and hopefully generating some interesting discussions...

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Bloomberg Law: Alan Dershowitz's `Electile Dysfunction' (Audio)

(Bloomberg) --Alan Dershowitz, emeritus professor at Harvard Law School, and author of the new book, "Electile Dysfunction," which offers readers a commentary on campaign rhetoric and analyses the most important issues that currently divide Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. He speaks with Bloomberg Law hosts June Grasso and Michael Best on Bloomberg Radio's "Bloomberg Law."

Bloomberg Law Brief: EU Authorities Expand Regulations (Audio)

Daniel Halberstam, a professor at Michigan University Law School, discusses two issues that are currently dominating the conversation in the European legal world: antitrust regulation, and copyright protection. EU antitrust watchdogs have just released a new report that warns retailers that the regulators may probe online sales after finding that manufacturers impose limits on how websites sell products and how much they can charge. And, the European Court of Justice just decided that coffee shop owners can't be liable for the illegal activity of the people using their Internet connections, such as cafe goers downloading illegal songs of movies on the premises. He speaks with Bloomberg Law host June Grasso on Bloomberg Radio's "Bloomberg Law." Bloomberg's Karen Moskow and Bob Moon report the day's top legal stories.

Bloomberg Law Brief: Antitrust Worries Over Bayer Deal (Audio)

Jennifer Rie, a senior litigation analyst for Bloomberg Intelligence, and Harry First, a Professor at NYU Law School, discuss the antitrust implications of the $66 billion Bayer-Monsanto deal, which was formally announced on Wednesday. While the two companies' businesses do not overlap very much, the deal is another example of consolidation in the seed and chemical industry, which has raised questions from regulators in the U.S. and Europe. They speak with Bloomberg Law hosts June Grasso and Michael Best on Bloomberg Radio's "Bloomberg Law." Bloomberg's Karen Moskow and Bob Moon report the day's top legal stories.

Bloomberg Law: Antitrust Worries Surround Bayer Deal (Audio)

(Bloomberg) -- Jennifer Rie, a senior litigation analyst for Bloomberg Intelligence, and Harry First, a Professor at NYU Law School, discuss the antitrust implications of the $66 billion Bayer-Monsanto deal, which was formally announced on Wednesday. While the two companies' businesses do not overlap very much, the deal is another example of consolidation in the seed and chemical industry, which has raised questions from regulators in the U.S. and Europe. They speak with Bloomberg Law hosts June Grasso and Michael Best on Bloomberg Radio's "Bloomberg Law."

Bloomberg Law: (Audio)

(Bloomberg) -- David Crane, a professor at Syracuse University Law School, and Zachary Goldman, executive director of the NYU Center on Law and Security discusses the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), which, if passed, would allow the families of 9/11 victims to the sue the Saudi Arabian government for damages. However, White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Tuesday that President Obama would veto the bill, sending it back to congress. The bill has seen bipartisan support from both the house and congress, but Earnest said today that the bill ignores the ideal of sovereign immunity. They speak with Bloomberg Law host June Grasso on Bloomberg Radio's "Bloomberg Law."

IOS 10 notifications look the same, but work a lot differently - CNET

Apple is changing how you can use notifications. Here's what you need to know.

9 reasons you should keep your current iPhone - CNET

Or: How I learned to stop worrying and love the phone already in my pocket.

Cliff notes rainbow

Some great notes for each chapter in Gravity's Rainbow to try and follow how everything is connected. I've been trying to find out how many characters are mentioned during the book, but can't find it anywhere.

Bloomberg Law: Mylan Anti-Trust and First Muslim Judge (Audio)

(Bloomberg) -- Jennifer Rie, a senior litigation analyst for Bloomberg Intelligence, discusses New York State attorney general Eric Schneiderman has opened an anti-trust investigation into Mylan after evidence showed that the EpiPen-maker may have ripped off New York State schools that purchased the life-saving devices. The probe is just the latest setback for Mylan amid widespread criticism of the company's 500 percent price hike for the drug. And Stephen Vladeck, a professor at the University of Texas Law School, and Jonathan Adler, a professor at Case Western University Law School, discuss President Obama's history-making decision to nominate a Muslim Washington lawyer to a federal judgeship, the first Muslim American ever nominated for such a position. President Obama chose Abid Riaz Qureshi, a partner at Latham & Watkins, to fill a spot on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, but it is unlikely that Qureshi will be confirmed in the coming months unless lawmakers take up the nomination in this lame duck session. They speak with Bloomberg Law hosts June Grasso and Michael Best on Bloomberg Radio's "Bloomberg Law."

Race

Bloomberg Law: Samsung and Apple's `Blurred Lines' (Audio)

(Bloomberg) -- Tony Dutra, a senior legal editor for Bloomberg BNA, discusses another intellectual property case between Samsung Electronics and Apple Inc., which will be heard by the Supreme Court this session. Samsung hopes the court will reconsider a district court's decision to award Apple damages, “to the extent of [Samsung's] total profit,” if it “sells or exposes for sale any article of manufacture” that infringes Apple's design patents. And, Terrence Ross, a partner at Crowell and Moring, discusses the "Blurred Lines," Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams' 2013 hit, which is back in court, after a group of 212 musical artists expressed support for the songwriters as they appeal a court decision, which found them guilty of unlawfully copying Marvin Gaye's "Got to Give it Up." They speak with Bloomberg Law host June Grasso on Bloomberg Radio's "Bloomberg Law."

Beyond Link Building – Using PR to Fuel Your Digital Strategy

Today (2nd September 2016) I had the pleasure of presenting at BrightonSEO in their brand, spanking new venue! The response to the talk was amazing, and a huge thanks to everyone who came along. You can see the slides from my presentation below:   And I’ve also added a (rough) transcript of my talk below […]

The post Beyond Link Building – Using PR to Fuel Your Digital Strategy appeared first on White.net.

Bloomberg Law Brief: No Guns For Marijuana Users (Audio)

Eugene Volokh, a professor at UCLA Law School, and Alex Kreit, a professor at the Thomas Jefferson School of Law, discuss an appeals court decision, which upheld a federal ban on the sale of guns to medical marijuana card holders. The ruling by the 9th U.S. Court of Appeals applies to the western United States, and comes as a blow to S. Rowan Wilson, a Nevada woman who tried to buy a firearm in 2011, but was turned down by the store, which cited a federal rule banning gun sales to illegal drug users. They speak with Bloomberg Law host June Grasso on Bloomberg Radio's "Bloomberg Law." Bloomberg's Karen Moskow and Bob Moon report the day's top legal stories.