Special Seminar, 28 May 2019

Valentin Amrhein, a zoologist at the University of Basel, shot to fame in the science world when he called for an end to the use of the term “statistical significance” in a commentary in the journal Nature in March 2019. Statisticians and co-authors Sander Greenland and Blake McShane, and more than 800 scientists worldwide, including several at ISPM, CTU Bern and BIHAM, agreed.
“It is ludicrous to conclude that the statistically non-significant results [show] ‘no association’, when the interval estimate include[s] serious risk increases…” says Amrhein.
“Irrefutable nonsense would rule,” says an opponent.
What is this debate about, what does it mean and why does it matter?
Come and listen to Valentin Amrhein, and ISPM statisticians Marcel Zwahlen and Orestis Efthimiou, who will present three views about “statistical significance.” Should we abandon the use of the term in our publications?
Let’s open up the discussion to anyone with an interest in health care and the reliability and reproducibility of health research.

Program
4.00 pm Welcome and introduction by Prof. Nicola Low
4.10 pm Why are we here? by Prof. Valentin Amrhein
4.25 pm How to retire statistical significance by Prof. Marcel Zwahlen
4.40 pm Why not carry on with statistical significance? by Dr. Orestis Efthimiou
4.55 pm Discussion moderated by Sanne Verhoog and Nicolas Waespe
5.30 pm Apéro