Oxygen and stroke is an example of too much medicine that has been shown from the results of a randomised trial Carl Heneghan There seem to be a plethora of trials recently on Oxygen. I blogged about its use here in MI, and we published in BMJ EBM in patients without hypoxia in ST elevation MI […]
Category: Too much medicine
Why I am confused about lung cancer screening
Should findings from a single trial inform decision making about lung cancer screening? Carl Heneghan, Editor in Chief A recent cost-effective analysis of low-dose computed tomography for lung cancer screening targeted in those at highest risk of lung cancer suggests only modest benefits. The conclusion is based on a cost-effectiveness analysis of risk-targeted screening […]
Why BRCA screening will harm (some) women
‘blindly pursuing early detection risks subjecting a third of diagnosed women to unnecessary harm.’ Jason Oke According to research led by the Barts Cancer Institute at Queen Mary University London, screening all British women over 30 years of age could result in 17,000 fewer ovarian and 64,000 breast cancers over a lifetime. Not only […]
Why do rates of knee arthroscopy differ?
A recent trial of keyhole knee surgery for partial meniscectomy showed surgical intervention was ineffective. Surgery rates have varied markedly over time and across the UK, suggesting there is a lot of overtreatment. Carl Heneghan Published in the Annals of Rheumatic Diseases the randomised trial reported arthroscopic partial meniscectomy was no more effective than […]
Is it the end for type 2 diabetes monitoring?
More intense monitoring makes no difference to outcomes in type 2 diabetes and costs a lot more, but not everyone agrees on what should be done in practice. Carl Heneghan, Ben Goldacre Glucose self-monitoring with automated feedback messaging in type 2 diabetics not taking insulin makes no difference to patient outcomes and costs a lot […]
Controversies in PSA screening
40 years after its discovery, a re-analysis of the two largest trials to date, controversially suggests PSA screening may actually be beneficial. Jack O’Sullivan Most healthcare organisations do not recommend PSA screening for prostate cancer (USPSTF, Public Health England), mainly in response to conflicting evidence about the benefits and clear evidence of harms. PSA […]