What "Evidence" in Evidence-Based Medicine?

The concept of evidence has gone unanalysed in much of the current debate between proponents and critics of evidence-based medicine. In this paper I will suggest that part of the controversy rests on an understanding of the word "evidence" that is too broad, and therefore contains the contradictions...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Topoi: An International Review of Philosophy Vol. 40; no. 2; pp. 299 - 306
Main Author: Martini, Carlo
Format: Article
Published: Springer Nature Apr2021
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Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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Summary:The concept of evidence has gone unanalysed in much of the current debate between proponents and critics of evidence-based medicine. In this paper I will suggest that part of the controversy rests on an understanding of the word "evidence" that is too broad, and therefore contains the contradictions that allow both camps to defend their position and charge their adversaries. I will argue that reconciling the different meanings of the word 'evidence' in "evidence-based medicine" should help put EBM in its rightful place.