Tuesday, November 1, 2011

[EQ] Testing Treatments - Better Research for Better Healthcare

Testing Treatments - Better Research for Better Healthcare

Imogen Evans, Hazel Thornton, Iain Chalmers and Paul Glasziou

British Library - second edition 2011

Available online as PDF file [226p.] at: Edition http://bit.ly/rMaZtX

‘

“…………..‘There is no way to know when our observations about complex events in nature are complete. Our knowledge is finite, Karl Popper emphasised, but our ignorance is infinite. In medicine, we can never be certain about the consequences of our interventions, we can only narrow the area of uncertainty. This admission is not as pessimistic as it sounds: claims that resist repeated energetic challenges often turn out to be quite reliable. Such “working truths” are the building blocks for the reasonably solid structures that support our everyday actions at the bedside.’

William A. Silverman. Where’s the evidence?

Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998, p165……….”

“…….Modern medicine has been hugely successful. It is hard to imagine what life must have been like without antibiotics. The development of other effective drugs has revolutionized the treatment of heart attacks and high blood pressure and has transformed the lives of many people with schizophrenia. Childhood immunization has made polio and diphtheria distant memories in most countries, and artificial joints have helped countless people to be less troubled by pain and disability.

Modern imaging techniques such as ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have helped to ensure that patients

are accurately diagnosed and receive the right treatment. The diagnosis of many types of cancer used to spell a death sentence, whereas today patients regularly live with their cancers instead of dying from them. And HIV/AIDS has largely changed from a swift killer into a chronic (long-lasting) disease.

Of course many improvements in health have come about because of social and public health advances, such as piped clean water, sanitation, and better housing. But even sceptics would have difficulty dismissing the impressive impact of modern medical care. Over the past half century or so, better healthcare has made a major contribution to increased lifespan, and has improved the quality of life, especially for those with chronic conditions.1, 2 But the triumphs of modern medicine can easily lead us to overlook many of its ongoing problems. Even today, too much medical decision-making is based on poor evidence….”

Content:

Foreword to the first edition by Nick Ross

Preface

Introduction

1 New – but is it better?

2 Hoped-for effects that don’t materialize

3 More is not necessarily better

4 Earlier is not necessarily better

5 Dealing with uncertainty about the effects of treatments

6 Fair tests of treatments

7 Taking account of the play of chance

8 Assessing all the relevant, reliable evidence

9 Regulating tests of treatments: help or hindrance?

10 Research – good, bad, and unnecessary

11 Getting the right research done is everybody’s business

12 So what makes for better healthcare?

13 Research for the right reasons: blueprint for a better future

References

Additional resources

Twitter http://twitter.com/eqpaho

* * *
This message from the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO/WHO, is part of an effort to disseminate
information Related to: Equity; Health inequality; Socioeconomic inequality in health; Socioeconomic
health differentials; Gender; Violence; Poverty; Health Economics; Health Legislation; Ethnicity; Ethics;
Information Technology - Virtual libraries; Research & Science issues. [DD/ KMC Area]
Washington DC USA

“Materials provided in this electronic list are provided "as is". Unless expressly stated otherwise, the findings
and interpretations included in the Materials are those of the authors and not necessarily of The Pan American
Health Organization PAHO/WHO or its country members”.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PAHO/WHO Website
Equity List - Archives - Join/remove: http://listserv.paho.org/Archives/equidad.html
Twitter http://twitter.com/eqpaho

IMPORTANT: This transmission is for use by the intended
recipient and it may contain privileged, proprietary or
confidential information. If you are not the intended
recipient or a person responsible for delivering this
transmission to the intended recipient, you may not
disclose, copy or distribute this transmission or take
any action in reliance on it. If you received this transmission
in error, please dispose of and delete this transmission.

Thank you.

[EQ] Building of the global movement for health equity: from Santiago to Rio and beyond

Building of the global movement for health equity: from Santiago to Rio and beyond

Prof Michael Marmot FRCP a, Jessica a , Ruth Bell a, Prof Peter Goldblatt a
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK

The Lancet, October 2011Available online at: http://bit.ly/p3ku49

“…….Health inequalities are present throughout the world, both within and between countries. The Commission on Social Determinants of Health drew attention to dramatic social gradients in health within most countries and made proposals for action. These inequalities are not inevitable.

The purpose of this article is to report on activity that has taken place worldwide after the report by the Commission on Social Determinants of Health. First, we summarise the global situation. Second, we summarise an interim report of the emerging findings from an independent review of social determinants and the health divide, which was commissioned by the WHO European region.

The world conference on social determinants of health will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in October, 2011. This summit provides an opportunity to galvanise support, prioritise action, and respond to the call by the Commission on Social Determinants of Health for social justice as a route to a fair distribution of health….”