RCTs
6 papers and posts.
5 years: Hierarchies of Evidence in Evidence-Based Medicine
In the five years since the publication of Hierarchies of Evidence in Evidence-Based Medicine, what has changed and what lessons can philosophers learn?
Random Reflections: Cochrane and the Origins of Hierarchies
In 1972, Archie Cochrane publishedEffectiveness and Efficiency: Random Reflections on Health Services. In a little under 86 pages, Cochrane offers a wide-ranged but succinct delivery of his experience and his philosophy of evidence in clinical practice. It's a fascinating...
The Parachute Problem: Extracorporeal Life Support and the Demand for Trials
The United States Parachute Association recorded 120 deaths while skydiving in America in 2008-2015. Most were due to human error, while others resulted from collisions with other parachutes or aircraft. Only 5 were due to equipment failure. With around 3 million parachute...
The Avoidable Scandal: Benoxaprofen and Theories of Medical Evidence
Benoxaprofen, marketed as Opren in the UK, created a scandal in 1982 when it was withdrawn from sale amidst reports of over 60 deaths and thousands of adverse reactions. The question of who was at fault for this disaster has been addressed many times in the academic...
UBL and Variation
I've argued that information about variation in treatment effects is vital for doctors, patients and regulators alike. This information does not come from RCTs. Nonetheless, we can acquire high-quality, compelling evidence of variation. The case studies I've presented in the...
RCTs - a note on terminology
For the most part, when I'm talking about an RCT, it's understood as a Randomised Clinical Trial, though I use them interchangeably because I can get away with it - but not everyone can.