scholarly journals Evidence-based policy as reflexive practice. What can we learn from evidence-based medicine?

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roland Bal

The call for evidence-based policy is often accompanied by rather uncritical references to the success of evidence-based medicine, leading to often unsuccessful translation attempts. In this paper, I reflect on the practice of evidence-based medicine in an attempt to sketch a more productive approach to translating evidence into the practice of policy making. Discussing three episodes in the history of evidence-based medicine – clinical trials, and the production and use of clinical guidelines – I conclude that the success of evidence-based medicine is based on the creation of reflexive practices in which evidence and practice can be combined productively. In the conclusion, I discuss the prospects of such a practice for evidence-based policy.

Author(s):  
Demosthenes B. Panagiotakos

In the “era” of evidence-based medicine it is now well appreciated that systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized clinical trials are more powerful than other designs in their ability to answer research questions regarding the effectiveness of interventions. In this paper a critical appraisal is made regarding the validity of clinical trials and their role in formulating clinical guidelines.


Life ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 62
Author(s):  
Harri Hemilä ◽  
Elizabeth Chalker

Evidence has shown unambiguously that, in certain contexts, vitamin C is effective against the common cold. However, in mainstream medicine, the views on vitamin C and infections have been determined by eminence-based medicine rather than evidence-based medicine. The rejection of the demonstrated benefits of vitamin C is largely explained by three papers published in 1975—two published in JAMA and one in the American Journal of Medicine—all of which have been standard citations in textbooks of medicine and nutrition and in nutritional recommendations. Two of the papers were authored by Thomas Chalmers, an influential expert in clinical trials, and the third was authored by Paul Meier, a famous medical statistician. In this paper, we summarize several flaws in the three papers. In addition, we describe problems with two recent randomized trial reports published in JAMA which were presented in a way that misled readers. We also discuss shortcomings in three recent JAMA editorials on vitamin C. While most of our examples are from JAMA, it is not the only journal with apparent bias against vitamin C, but it illustrates the general views in mainstream medicine. We also consider potential explanations for the widespread bias against vitamin C.


2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily R. Winslow

Descriptions of “evidence-based” approaches to medical care are now ubiquitous in both the popular press and medical journals. The term evidence-based medicine (EBM) was first coined in 1992, and over the last two decades, the field has experienced rapid growth, and its principles now permeate both graduate medical education and clinical practice. The field of EBM has been in constant evolution since its introduction and continues to undergo refinements as its principles are tested and applied in a wide variety of clinical circumstances. This review presents a brief history of EBM, EBM: fundamental tenets, a critical appraisal of a single study, reporting guidelines for single studies, a critical appraisal of a body of evidence, evidence-based surgery, and limitations in EBM. Tables list strength of evidence for treatment decisions (EBM working group), Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine revised levels of evidence for treatment benefits , “4S” approach to finding resources for EBM, critical appraisal of individual studies examining therapeutic decisions, reporting guidelines by study design, and key resources for evidence-based surgery. This review contains 6 tables and 85 references


Author(s):  
Perry Nisen ◽  
Patrick Vallance

Clinical trials are the bedrock of evidence-based medicine. Introduced in the mid 20th century, they heralded a move away from opinion and anecdote to a more scientific evaluation of new treatments. Indeed, it could be argued that it is the clinical trial and the application of scientific method to determine which treatments work that distinguishes ‘medicine’ from ‘alternative medicine’. The aim of this short section is to outline the way in which clinical trials are likely to evolve over the next few years....


2020 ◽  
Vol 81 (5) ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Julian Aquilina ◽  
Joana B Neves ◽  
Maxine GB Tran

The numbers of clinical trials have increased exponentially over the last decade, amplifying the pressure to select an appropriate study design to obtain reliable and valid evidence. The ability to find, critically appraise and use evidence to develop new interventions is fundamental to evidence-based medicine. Different study designs have their own advantages and disadvantages, and provide different evidentiary value. This article provides an overview of clinical trials, illustrating that, ultimately, the study design chosen needs to meet experimental and funding limitations, while minimising error.


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