How would a scientist verify the claims made by Rick Simpson?

Rick Simpson Oil (RSO) is a type of cannabis oil that is claimed to have the ability to cure cancer. However, these claims have not been scientifically proven. Here are ten steps that a scientist might take to conduct a proper scientific study on the effects of RSO on cancer cells and the potential for cannabis-induced apoptosis:

1. Define the research question: The first step is to define the research question, such as "Does RSO induce apoptosis of cancer cells in vitro?"

2. Conduct a comprehensive literature review: Before beginning the study, it is important to review the existing literature on RSO and the effects of cannabis on cancer cells to ensure that the study is novel and adds to the existing body of knowledge.

3. Develop a hypothesis: Based on the literature review, the scientist would develop a hypothesis about the potential effects of RSO on cancer cells.

4. Design the study: The scientist would design the study, including selecting the appropriate cell line(s) to use, determining the concentrations of RSO to test, and selecting appropriate control groups.

5. Obtain necessary approvals: Before conducting the study, the scientist would need to obtain ethical approval from an institutional review board (IRB) and any necessary government approvals.

6. Conduct the experiment: The experiment would involve exposing cancer cells to RSO and measuring the effects on the cells, including any changes in cell viability, cell proliferation, and apoptosis.

7. Analyze the data: The data collected during the experiment would be analyzed to determine if RSO has any significant effects on the cancer cells.

8. Validate the results: To ensure the validity of the results, the study could be repeated multiple times and the results validated through statistical analysis.

9. Compare the results to existing literature: The results of the study would be compared to the existing literature on RSO and the effects of cannabis on cancer cells.

10. Potential challenges: There are several potential challenges to conducting a study on the effects of RSO on cancer cells, including the difficulty in obtaining consistent and pure samples of RSO, the variability in the composition of RSO, and the difficulty in obtaining government approval to conduct a study on a Schedule I substance like cannabis. Additionally, the results of in vitro studies may not always translate to in vivo results, so it may be necessary to conduct additional animal studies to confirm the results.

It is important to note that the results of this study would need to be replicated and validated by multiple independent researchers before any conclusions could be made about the efficacy of RSO in treating cancer. The scientific community requires multiple lines of evidence from well-designed and controlled studies before making any definitive conclusions about the therapeutic potential of a substance.