Đề thi VSTEP Full C1 — Khủng hoảng Tái tạo trong Nghiên cứu Khoa học (mẫu 5)

The reproducibility crisis refers to the growing concern that a significant proportion of published scientific findings cannot be independently replicated by other researchers. Recent meta-analyses suggest that roughly 70% of researchers have tried and failed to reproduce another scientist's experiments, while more than half have failed to reproduce their own. This crisis spans multiple disciplines, including psychology, medicine, and economics. Several factors contribute to this problem. First, the 'publish or perish' culture incentivizes researchers to prioritise novel, positive results over rigorous methodology. Studies with null or negative findings often remain unpublished, creating a publication bias. Second, the pressure to secure funding can lead to compromised experimental designs or selective reporting of data. Third, the increasing complexity of modern research makes verification difficult for peers. The implications are profound. Policy decisions based on irreproducible findings may waste resources or, worse, cause harm. To address the crisis, institutions are adopting open science practices, including pre-registration of studies, data sharing, and registered reports. These reforms aim to restore public trust and ensure that scientific knowledge remains a reliable foundation for progress.

Welcome to today's lecture on antimicrobial resistance, often abbreviated as AMR. This is one of the most pressing global health challenges of the 21st century. Antimicrobial resistance occurs when microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites evolve mechanisms to withstand the drugs designed to eliminate them. The primary drivers of AMR include the overuse and misuse of antibiotics in human medicine, the routine use of antimicrobials in livestock production, and the release of pharmaceutical waste into the environment. Each of these factors accelerates the selection pressure that favors resistant strains. The consequences are staggering. The World Health Organization estimates that by 2050, AMR could cause up to 10 million deaths annually if no action is taken. Routine medical procedures such as cesarean sections and joint replacements would become far riskier because of untreatable infections. Combating AMR requires a coordinated, multi-sectoral approach. This includes developing new antibiotics through incentivised research models, implementing antibiotic stewardship programs in hospitals, and establishing global surveillance systems to track resistance patterns. The cost of inaction far exceeds the investment required for prevention.