A Matter of Opinion

Abstract

> “Opinions are made to be changed - or how is truth to be got at?” > > Lord Byron An exploration of the causes and consequences of silence with a decidedly poignant slant toward the detrimental effect on cardiovascular studies. The intent of this short monograph is to persuade those struggling with their conscience that one should be aware of and resist the implicit pressure to conform that we face as researchers. On April 11, 2016, an e-mail appeared in my inbox with an invitation to author a “Viewpoint” article for Circulation Research . This relatively new type of submission was solicited with clear expectations: “…what sets Viewpoints apart from all other articles that we publish is that they should convey bold opinions, even if they are irreverent”; “…authors of Viewpoints are encouraged to express their opinions freely and not shy away from controversy, if appropriate.” That’s perfect, I thought. Being no stranger to embroiling myself in written op-ed pieces1,2 that undoubtedly contributed to my use of Lotensin for high blood pressure over the past dozen years, I figured I would have no problem coming up with an issue to pontificate on to enlighten my colleagues. That is, until I began trying to settle on a specific topic in cardiovascular research that I know enough about to have a bold opinion worth sharing. In fact, I have started this assignment 3 times already on different aspects of research controversies and ground to a halt. Then, I asked myself why each effort provoked successive rounds or anxiety and self-doubt. And I think I have found the answer to my problem—and by diagnosing my trouble spot the topic of my Viewpoint article revealed itself. My personal angst over writing this Viewpoint article highlights a struggle many of us wrestle with to survive in …