Evidence-Based Medicine Matters

The Rt Hon the Lord Jenkin of Roding

Former Secretary of State for Health (1979 - 81) and Life Peer

I have little doubt that one of the most important techniques of evidence-based medicine, used to verify claims about new drugs and treatments, is the 'double blind clinical trial. Of course, nothing is without flaws, but such trials go a long way to eliminate any possibility of bias in assessing the results. When both the patient and his doctor do not know which patients are receiving, say, the drug to be tested and which are receiving a placebo, the results should avoid any suspicion of bias. However, there is some evidence that even administering a placebo can mislead a patient into thinking he is getting better, so the more objective the assessment can be, the better. A proper peer review of the process is also important to ensure that trials which do not support the claims made for a drug are disclosed, fully taken into account and not suppressed. Properly used, this technique is evidence-based medicine at its best.