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Recent controversies on comparative effectiveness research investigations: Challenges, opportunities, and pitfalls
- Source :
- Seminars in perinatology. 40(6)
- Publication Year :
- 2016
-
Abstract
- The purpose of comparative effectiveness research (CER) is to improve health outcomes by developing and disseminating evidence-based information about which currently available interventions and practices are most effective for patients. While Randomized Controlled Trials (RCT) are the hallmark of scientific proof, when they have been used to compare interventions used in variable ways by different clinicians (Comparative Effectiveness RCTs, CER RCTs) they have at times, generated controversy. Usually the background for the CER RCT is a range of ‘standard therapy’ or ‘standard of care’. This may have been adopted on observational data alone, pilot data. At times, such prior data may derive from populations that differ from the population in which the widely variable standard approach is being applied. We believe controversies related to these CER-RCTs result from confusing ‘accepted’ therapies and ‘rigorously evaluated therapies”. We first define evidence based medicine, and consider how well neonatology conforms to that definition. We then contrast the approach of testing new therapies and those already existing and widely adopted, as in CER-RCTs. We next examine a central challenge in incorporating the control arm within CER, and aspects of the ‘titrated’ trial. We finally briefly consider some ethical issues that have arisen, and briefly discuss the wide range of neonatology practices that could be subject to CER-RCTs or alternative CER-based strategies that might inform practice in the absence of RCTs. Throughout, we emphasize the lack of awareness of the lay community, and indeed many researchers or commentators, in appreciating the wide variation of standard of care. There is a corresponding need to identify the best uses of available resources that will lead to the best outcomes for our patients. We conclude that CER is an essential methodology in modern neonatology to address many unanswered questions and test unproven therapies in newborn care.
- Subjects :
- Pediatrics
medicine.medical_specialty
Comparative Effectiveness Research
Evidence-based practice
Comparative effectiveness research
Population
Psychological intervention
Infant, Newborn, Diseases
Article
law.invention
Scientific evidence
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Randomized controlled trial
law
030225 pediatrics
medicine
Humans
030212 general & internal medicine
Practice Patterns, Physicians'
education
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
education.field_of_study
Evidence-Based Medicine
business.industry
Infant, Newborn
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Evidence-based medicine
carbohydrates (lipids)
Research Design
Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health
Observational study
Engineering ethics
lipids (amino acids, peptides, and proteins)
Neonatology
business
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 1558075X
- Volume :
- 40
- Issue :
- 6
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Seminars in perinatology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....4c6689f0f27c1c37076331b0b48af690