So when you put these observational studies together with a 'gold standard' clinical trial, the findings are overwhelming."

VOA: standard.2010.07.21

Merit Cudkowicz, an ALS researcher at Harvard Medical School who was an investigator on a standard lithium clinical trial, said social network-generated data can offer valuable insights, but she cautioned that the PatientsLikeMe study was not a substitute for more rigorous studies.

WSJ: ALS Study Falls Short, But Use of Social Media Holds Promise

That would be the standard approach in a clinical trial.

FORBES: Using Stem Cells To Identify Better (And Cheaper) Drugs

Today, eDiscovery is standard operating procedure during a trial.

FORBES: Lawyers Embrace Big Data