Evidence based strongmedicinestrong what it is and what it isnt.pdfVIP

Evidence based medicine: what it is and what it isnt -- Sackett et al. 312 (7023): 71 -- ... Page 1 of 10 Home Volume 312, Number 7023 BMJ 312 : 71 (Published 13 January 1996) BMJ 312 : 71 (Published 13 January 1996) Editorial Evidence based medicine: what it is and what it isnt David L Sackett, William M C Rosenberg, J A Muir Gray, R Brian Haynes, W Scott Richardson + Author Affiliations Its about integrating individual clinical expertise and the best external evidence Evidence based medicine, whose philosophical origins extend back to mid-19th century Paris and earlier, remains a hot topic for clinicians, public health practitioners, purchasers, planners, and the public. There are now frequent workshops in how to practice and teach it (one sponsored by the BMJ will be held in 1 2 3 London on 24 April); undergraduate and postgraduate training programmes are incorporating it (or pondering how to do so); British centres for evidence based practice have been established or planned in adult medicine, child health, surgery, pathology, pharmacotherapy, nursing, general practice, and dentistry; the Cochrane Collaboration and Britains Centre for Review and Dissemination in York are providing systematic reviews of the effects of health care; new evidence based practice journals are being launched; and it has become a common topic in the lay media. But enthusiasm has been mixed with some negative 4 5 6 reaction. Criticism has ranged from evidence based medicine being old hat to it being a dangerous innovation, perpetrated by the arrogant to serve cost cutters and suppress clinical freedom. As evidence based medicine continues to evolve and adapt, now is a useful time to refine the discussion of what it is and what it is not. Evidence based medicine is the conscientious, explicit, and jud