Evidence-Based Medicine Matters

David Elliott

I have a scientific background, but no experience in the medical (or even pseudo-medical field). My interest is really in the cost-effective use of necessarily limited resources as exemplified (on a good day) by NICE and the kind of kicking it gets when it decides that a particular treatment is not cost-effective despite several anecdotes that it might be helpful in some cases. What is required, as well as evidence based practice, is massive public education on this issue. People simply cannot understand why, especially when it comes to them and their loved ones, decisions have to be made that are best for the population as a whole. Statistics and probability are another huge area of public misunderstanding which needs addressing in order that people can understand why some decisions are the right ones. For example, very few people understand, even now after widespread debate over a number of years, why giving their child the MMR vaccine is the right thing to do for the public well-being as well as for their own child.