Saturday, November 10, 2012

Treatment Comparisons and the Most Effective Treatment

Why Studies That Compare Treatments Lack Impact by Pauline W. Chen, M.D.  The New York Times.  November 8, 2012.

It would seem obvious that comparisons of medical treatments would result in the broad implementation of the better treatment.  However, frequently this is not the case.  This article examines the reasons why.  Among the reasons cited were failure of the study to consider the actual needs of clinicians and patients, the difficulty in adjusting to changing habits, and costs.  A low cost option may be attacked by firms who profit from a more expensive alternative.  In the face of these problems, there is optimism that the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute can increase the impact of comparative studies

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