Is the therapy clinically useful?

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• Format Texts
• Language/s English
• Target Audience Further education
• EBM Stage 3 - Appraising evidence, 4 - Decision making
• Duration <5 mins
• Difficulty Intermediate

Key Concepts addressed

• 3-2a Do the outcomes measured matter to you?
• 2-3h Don’t confuse “no evidence” with “no effect”

Details

This section considers how therapists should interpret those trials which satisfy most of the methodological filters. The message is that it is not sufficient to look simply for evidence of a statistically significant effect of the therapy. You need to be satisfied that the trial measures outcomes that are meaningful, and that the positive effects of the therapy are big enough to make the therapy worthwhile. The harmful effects of the therapy must be infrequent or small so that the therapy does more good than harm. Lastly, the therapy must be cost-effective.

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