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Teasting Treatments
by Imogen Evans,
Hazel Thornton, and Iain
Chalmers
Testing Treatments chalenges all to help make a difference
This is very important book and it should appeal to everyone
who wants to join the revolution to reform clinical research, to ensure
that it really does serve the interests of patients. It is the best available introduction to the methods, uses,
and value of fair
testing.
Patients are
often seen as the recipients of healthcare, rather than participants.
This book shines light on the mysteries of how life and
death decisions are made. It shows how those judgements are often badly
flawed and it sets a challenge for doctors across the globe to mend
their ways.
Aimed at both patients and
professionals, Testing
Treatments builds a lively and thought provoking argument for better,
more reliable and more relevant research with unbiased or 'fair'
trials, and explains how patients can work with doctors to achieve this
vital goal. Testing Treatments urges readers to take an active part in
changing conditions and describes what practical steps doctors and
patients can take together to improve current research and future
treatments that best serve the interests of patients.
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LIFTING THE FOG OF UNCERTAINTY
‘Only when the public finally grasps how little reliable knowledge
exists will it have the motivation to become actively involved in
prioritising the research agenda. Ultimately improvement in clinical
care and patients’ outcomes will come from conducting the right kind of
research, research that is of importance in the real world, as
advocated in the recently established James Lind Alliance.
Acknowledging uncertainties and informing patients about them is a key
strategy for improving healthcare and lifting the fog from the practice
of medicine.’
Djulbegovic
B.
Lifting the fog of uncertainty from the practice of medicine.
British Medical Journal 2004;329:1419-20.
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"If we are passive consumers of medicine we will never
drive up standards. If we prefer simplistic answers we will get pseudo
science. If we do not promote the rigorous testing of treatments we
will get pointless and sometimes dangerous treatment along with the
stuff that really works." ~
Nick Ross
"Although we describe the harm that some
inadequately tested treatments
have caused, it is certainly not our intention to undermine patients’
trust in their health professionals. Our aim is to improve
communication and boost confidence. But this will only happen if
patients can help their doctors critically assess treatment options. We
hope that you, the reader, will emerge from this book sharing some of
our passion for the subject and go on to ask awkward questions about
treatments, identify gaps in medical knowledge, and get involved in
research to find answers for the benefit of everybody. " ~ Introduction from Authors
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