Main description:

This book is intended to help decision-makers use, assess and appraise the evidence that underpins decisions about the use of therapeutic interventions. It will inform decision-makers about the nature of evidence, the strengths and weaknesses of the available approaches, and how these can be most effectively distilled for the purpose of reaching reliable conclusions. It aims to encourage decision-makers to base their judgements about the use of therapeutic interventions on an informed appraisal of the totality of the evidence base. Is it reliable? Is it generalisable beyond the context of the environment in which the primary research has been conducted? Do the intervention's benefits outweigh its harms? Is it cost effective as well as clinically effective? Is it, indeed, fit-for-purpose? Ultimately, good judgement is at the heart of decision-making in therapeutics. An invaluable text for all physicians, pharmacists, nurses, health commissioners and purchasers and indeed anyone having to make decisions concerning evidence-based therapeutics.

Contents:

Introduction The nature of evidence Probability Clinical endpoints of benefits and harms Statistical expressions of benefit and harm Bias and confounding Systematic reviews Randomized controlled trials General principles Stopping rules Analysis of subgroups Safety Generalizability Observational studies General overview Historical controlled trials Concurrent cohort studies Case-control designs Databases Case reports Qualitative research Approaches and methods Uses in the evaluation of therapeutic interventions Economic evaluation General principles Cost-effectiveness, cost-utility and cost-minimization analyses Cost-consequences analysis Decision-making For individuals For populations