Evidence-Based Medicine Matters

Matthew Child

PhD Student in Parisitology

By its very nature science is evidence based and evidence-based medicine stands as an early pinnacle of human achievement. It represents the application of knowledge gained through observation and testing, and these principals are the keystones of modern medical theory. Evidence is fundamental to this as it facilitates the continual remodelling of our hypotheses and the progressive development of our understanding. Medicine which is not based on evidence is simply not scientific and worse, is dangerous as it permeates society and propagates myth and misunderstanding. Sadly this undermines the very foundations of medicine, which seeks to improve our lives through rational, hypothesis led and evidence backed research. Every effort must be made to ensure that awareness is drawn to the conceptual incoherence of such illogical approaches in order to dispel these myths before they have the chance to become entrenched.