Covid-19 and the State of Evidence-based Medicine

Over the last 18 months, authorities around the world have relied upon the conduct of new randomised control trials to inform Covid-19 prevention and treatment guidance. This approach has been applied equally to novel drug therapies developed by the pharmaceutical industry in response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, as well as to safe, established, broad spectrum, generic medicines that have been around for decades.

Is this approach appropriate in the context of a health emergency? Dr Tess Lawrie, an external consultant to the World Health Organisation and clinical practice guideline expert, explores this question.

Dr Tess Lawrie, Director of The Evidence-Based Medicine Consultancy Ltd and Ebmcsquared CiC