4. Research Priorities As part of the expert panel meeting,
panelists were asked to assign priorities to each methodology
discussed. A high priority would mean that panelists felt that
the methodology was among the best candidates for future
research funding because it provided a high likelihood of
providing scientifically valid data. No attempt was made to
reach a consensus on these priorities, and there was some
disagreement as to the relative priorities of each methodology.
Panelists used their own system for expressing their priorities,
making it impossible to calculate “scores” for each methodology.
However an examination of the comments given by panelists
provides an excellent sense of how they viewed each methodology.
For example, of the panelists expressing an opinion on the
priority of the case control study, one described it as “highly
recommended,” one described it as high priority if sufficient
funding could be obtained to do it properly, one said this it
was highest priority, one said it was seco