‘More than ten years of use, there remains uncertainty as to which populations are most likely to benefit from NOACs.’ Kamal Mahtani Over the last ten years, prescribing of non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (NOACs) has increased substantially. In the UK, an estimated 58% increase has been quoted with a nine-fold increase in anticoagulant costs. […]
Category: Kamal Mahtani
Should asthma patients increase their steroid inhalers during an attack?
EBM Practice Spotlight highlights new evidence that challenges current clinical practice Kamal Mahtani Asthma is a long-term condition affecting more than 300 million people (adults and children) worldwide. In the UK, it affects about 1 in every 10 people. When asthma management is effective, patients should be able to continue their normal activities of […]
What makes a systematic review “complex”?
Originally published on BMJ Opinion Kamal R Mahtani, Tom Jefferson, and Carl Heneghan discuss: What makes a systematic review “complex”? Systematic reviews involve systematically searching for all available evidence, appraising the quality of the included studies, and synthesising the evidence into a useable form. They contribute to the pool of best available evidence, translating […]
EBM library: Systematic reviews to support humanitarian medicine
The EBM library signposts some essential reading for the practice of Evidence-Based Medicine. In this part of the library, we highlight the role of systematic reviews in humanitarian medicine. Kamal Mahtani Systematic reviews have made significant contributions to the pool of best available evidence in healthcare. In a previous post, I explored the importance of […]
EBM library: Systematic reviews in policymaking – part 2
The EBM library signposts some essential reading for the practice of Evidence-Based Medicine. In this part of the library, we highlight papers that reflect the role of systematic reviews in policymaking. Kamal Mahtani In part 1 of this series two papers highlighted why systematic reviews are important in policymaking, and some challenges this may bring. In […]
EBM Library – Systematic reviews in policymaking: part 1
The EBM library signposts some essential reading for the practice of Evidence-Based Medicine. In this part of the library, we highlight papers that reflect the role of systematic reviews in policymaking. Kamal R. Mahtani One of the purposes of conducting systematic reviews is to provide accessible evidence to inform clinical decisions. In healthcare, they […]
Evidence based mentoring for “aspiring academics”
CEBM deputy director Kamal R. Mahtani writes on the value of mentoring. There are times in our careers when we are not sure what to do next, whoever we are. We may lack experience or the confidence to decide what to do; or we may have made a decision and need a word of advice from someone […]
Systematic reviews to reduce research waste
The global spend on biomedical research and development is about $250 billion, so why is so much of it still wasted, asks Kamal R. Mahtani. The global spend on biomedical research and development is estimated to be about $250 billion (£203 bn; €233 bn) each year—a not insignificant figure. In fact, it roughly equates to the amount that the UK […]