Much is made of the evidence base of modern medicine. It is certainly the case that many trials are done and that to bring a pharmaceutical to market requires trial evidence to show that the drug is better than placebo and that side effects are acceptable. There is...
Regular readers will know that I enjoy a glass of wine. The wine industry is fascinating as is the history. After my recent trip to Italy, this has only grown. Especially, when one sees how cultures are able to incorporate wine into what they do rather than going out...
There is increasing interest in the over use of medical tests, medications and procedures. There has been a belief that more medicine equals better health. In reality it does not. Whilst we absolutely can and do benefit from the advances medicine has made, too much of...
Sometimes a person with cancer goes into remission and we do not know why. This does not mean it has not occurred. We don’t criticise them or suggest it better they went out of remission. A 2003 BMJ paper systematically reviewed trials of whether parachutes were...
Personalised medicine, or pharmacogenomics, means targeting drugs and treatments based on a person’s genetics. This approach has significantly improved outcomes for cancer patients in recent years. Now research is showing that a person’s gut microbiome (the bacteria...
An advance over the last three decades has been evidence-based medicine. No longer do we do what we think is best or, heaven forbid, use clinical judgment. Trials and evidence inform us of best practice. This means everyone always gets ideal care with the system...
