evidence based practice and pharmacoeconomics

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Dear members

Similarly the usefulness of administering corticosteroids to the mother in ‘preterm’ deliveries for improving lung maturity and preventing mortality of babies from Respiratory Distress Syndrome was established by research in the early eighties. Seven RCTs in 1981 and twelve more in 1990 proved that steroids improved neonatal outcome. Yet by 1994 it was found that only fifteen percent of doctors practiced it, and with disastrous consequences. Tens of thousands of infants succumbed and millions of dollars were spent on interventions. The wide gap between availability of scientific evidence and its application in practice persists till today.

[ A Grimes Introducing EBM into a Dept of Ob. & Gyn. Obst & Gyn Survey 1995; Vol 86; 451-57.]

Tarun Wadhwa