Logo Medical Science Monitor

Call: +1.631.470.9640
Mon - Fri 10:00 am - 02:00 pm EST

Contact Us

Logo Medical Science Monitor Logo Medical Science Monitor Logo Medical Science Monitor

01 November 2006

Evidence-based medicine: fifteen years later. Golem the good, the bad, and the ugly in need of a review?

Milos Jenicek

Med Sci Monit 2006; 12(11): RA241-251 :: ID: 462718

Abstract

Despite its well-deserved strengths, Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM)'s shell still remains half-full. Its strong points are clouded in persisting philosophical gaps and mostly ideological advancements of its concepts and rules. Further clarification of its logic and critical use of evidence is required. In this non-systematic essay and review, several present and future necessary achievements are outlined: Solid methodological tools were developed under the umbrella of surprisingly less-operational definition(s) of EBM and 'evidence' itself, incomplete classifications of various evidences and limited scope of original critical appraisal of evidence. The integration of the best evidence with clinical expertise, setting and circumstances, as well as patient expectations, values, and preferences and the application of evidence to a specific patient have only been conceptually traced so far and usable rules remain in waiting. The question of whether the practice of EBM produces better results than its alternatives also remains unanswered. Uses of the best evidence as a basis for the fundamental elements of modern argumentation and critical thinking applied to medicine may be one of the promising paths, but this approach still must be more widely applied and evaluated on its own merit. In other words, we do have a point, but it needs to be improved.

Keywords: Clinical Medicine, Decision Making, Decision Support Systems, Clinical, Evidence-Based Medicine - methods, Health Services Needs and Demand, Logic, Philosophy, Medical, Practice Guidelines as Topic, Professional Practice - standards

Add Comment 0 Comments

Editorial

01 July 2026 : Editorial  

Editorial: The WHO Identifies Ebola Disease Due to Bundibugyo Virus as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) as Vaccine Development Accelerates

Dinah V. Parums ORCID logo

DOI: 10.12659/MSM.954627

Med Sci Monit 2026; 32:e954627

0:00

In Press

Clinical Research  

Comparative Effectiveness of a Nurse-Led Care Model vs Usual Care in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Longitudinal C...

Med Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.953211  

Clinical Research  

Impact of Treatment Modality on Pain, Sexual Function, and Psychological Well-Being in Patients With Bartho...

Med Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.952422  

Clinical Research  

Association Between Radiographic Knee Osteoarthritis, Pre-Fracture Mobility, and Hip Fracture Patterns in O...

Med Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.952678  

Clinical Research  

Association Between Total Cholesterol–to–High-Density Lipoprotein Ratio and Gestational Hypertension: A Cas...

Med Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.952395  

Most Viewed Current Articles

17 Jan 2024 : Review article   14,176,084

Vaccination Guidelines for Pregnant Women: Addressing COVID-19 and the Omicron Variant

DOI :10.12659/MSM.942799

Med Sci Monit 2024; 30:e942799

0:00

13 Nov 2021 : Clinical Research   3,757,530

Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccination and Its Associated Factors Among Cancer Patients Attending the Oncology ...

DOI :10.12659/MSM.932788

Med Sci Monit 2021; 27:e932788

0:00

14 Dec 2022 : Clinical Research   2,466,116

Prevalence and Variability of Allergen-Specific Immunoglobulin E in Patients with Elevated Tryptase Levels

DOI :10.12659/MSM.937990

Med Sci Monit 2022; 28:e937990

0:00

16 May 2023 : Clinical Research   708,768

Electrophysiological Testing for an Auditory Processing Disorder and Reading Performance in 54 School Stude...

DOI :10.12659/MSM.940387

Med Sci Monit 2023; 29:e940387

0:00

Your Privacy

We use cookies to ensure the functionality of our website, to personalize content and advertising, to provide social media features, and to analyze our traffic. If you allow us to do so, we also inform our social media, advertising and analysis partners about your use of our website, You can decise for yourself which categories you you want to deny or allow. Please note that based on your settings not all functionalities of the site are available. View our privacy policy.

Medical Science Monitor eISSN: 1643-3750
Medical Science Monitor eISSN: 1643-3750