Why Failed Research Is Needed To Be Published

Why bad research matters in athletic training

Podcast #639 Theo Von featuring Robert F. Kennedy Jr., sparked an important conversation around how research is shared, filtered, and ultimately trusted by the public.

Regardless of where you land on the perspectives in that episode, it points to something healthcare professionals should actually agree on:

We don’t just have a “bad research” problem—we have a missing research problem.

In athletic training and sports medicine, unsuccessful or “negative” studies often never get published. And when that happens, we’re not practicing evidence-based care—we’re practicing evidence-selected care.

And here’s why that matters:

“Bad” results aren’t actually bad—they’re essential.

They show us what doesn’t work.

Drives innovation.

They prevent us from overestimating what does.

Keeps us honest and more ethical.

They keep us from repeating the same mistakes.

It shows us where not to spend time.

Proves what assumptions were wrong.

What needs to be refined, improving decision making and guidelines.

And most importantly—they protect our patients.

Because if only positive findings make it into journals:

• Treatments look more effective than they really are

• Clinical decisions are built on incomplete data

• Ineffective interventions continue to be used

• And patients ultimately pay the price

That’s not just a research issue—that’s a patient safety issue.

Where this connects to the bigger conversation

At the federal level, there are ongoing efforts to improve transparency and reduce bias in research—like expanded public access requirements for federally funded studies and increased emphasis on data sharing.

But at the same time, there are real concerns about:

• How research gets funded

• What gets prioritized

• And whether attempts to “reduce bias” may introduce new forms of it

Which means one thing for clinicians:

You can’t just rely on what’s published.

You have to think critically about what’s missing.

For athletic trainers and healthcare providers, being a responsible provider means:

• Questioning the strength of the evidence

• Recognizing publication bias

• Understanding that absence of evidence ≠ evidence of effectiveness

Because at the end of the day:

Evidence-based practice isn’t built on success stories.

It’s built on everything we’re willing to report—including what didn’t work.

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Von T. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von. Episode 639. Published February 12, 2026. https://lnkd.in/gCGkeNBb