Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current issue
    • Past issues
    • Early releases
    • Collections
    • Sections
    • Blog
    • Infographics & illustrations
    • Podcasts
    • COVID-19 articles
    • Obituary notices
  • Authors & Reviewers
    • Overview for authors
    • Submission guidelines
    • Submit a manuscript
    • Forms
    • Editorial process
    • Editorial policies
    • Peer review process
    • Publication fees
    • Reprint requests
    • Open access
    • Patient engagement
  • Physicians & Subscribers
    • Benefits for Canadian physicians
    • CPD Credits for CMA Members
    • Subscribe to CMAJ Print
    • Subscription prices
    • Obituary notices
  • Alerts
    • Email alerts
    • RSS
  • JAMC
    • À propos
    • Numéro en cours
    • Archives
    • Sections
    • Abonnement
    • Alertes
    • Trousse média 2023
    • Avis de décès
  • CMAJ JOURNALS
    • CMAJ Open
    • CJS
    • JAMC
    • JPN

User menu

Search

  • Advanced search
CMAJ
  • CMAJ JOURNALS
    • CMAJ Open
    • CJS
    • JAMC
    • JPN
CMAJ

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current issue
    • Past issues
    • Early releases
    • Collections
    • Sections
    • Blog
    • Infographics & illustrations
    • Podcasts
    • COVID-19 articles
    • Obituary notices
  • Authors & Reviewers
    • Overview for authors
    • Submission guidelines
    • Submit a manuscript
    • Forms
    • Editorial process
    • Editorial policies
    • Peer review process
    • Publication fees
    • Reprint requests
    • Open access
    • Patient engagement
  • Physicians & Subscribers
    • Benefits for Canadian physicians
    • CPD Credits for CMA Members
    • Subscribe to CMAJ Print
    • Subscription prices
    • Obituary notices
  • Alerts
    • Email alerts
    • RSS
  • JAMC
    • À propos
    • Numéro en cours
    • Archives
    • Sections
    • Abonnement
    • Alertes
    • Trousse média 2023
    • Avis de décès
  • Visit CMAJ on Facebook
  • Follow CMAJ on Twitter
  • Follow CMAJ on Pinterest
  • Follow CMAJ on Youtube
  • Follow CMAJ on Instagram
Occasional essay

Evidence-based medicine: a commentary on common criticisms

Sharon E. Straus and Finlay A. McAlister
CMAJ October 03, 2000 163 (7) 837-841;
Sharon E. Straus
Dr. Straus is with the Division of General Internal Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ont., and Dr. McAlister is with the Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Alberta Hospital, and is Population Health Investigator, Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, Edmonton, Alta.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Finlay A. McAlister
Dr. Straus is with the Division of General Internal Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ont., and Dr. McAlister is with the Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Alberta Hospital, and is Population Health Investigator, Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, Edmonton, Alta.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • Figures & Tables
  • Responses
  • Metrics
  • PDF
Loading

Abstract

Discussions about evidence-based medicine engender both negative and positive reactions from clinicians and academics. Ways to achieve evidence-based practice are reviewed here and the most common criticisms described. The latter can be classified as ”limitations universal to the practice of medicine,” ”limitations unique to evidence-based medicine” and ”misperceptions of evidence-based medicine.” Potential solutions to the true limitations of evidence-based medicine are discussed and areas for future work highlighted.

View Full Text
PreviousNext
Back to top

In this issue

CMAJ
Vol. 163, Issue 7
3 Oct 2000
  • Table of Contents
  • Index by author
  • Canadian Adverse Drug Reaction Newsletter (879-886)

Article tools

Respond to this article
Print
Download PDF
Article Alerts
To sign up for email alerts or to access your current email alerts, enter your email address below:
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on CMAJ.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Evidence-based medicine: a commentary on common criticisms
(Your Name) has sent you a message from CMAJ
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the CMAJ web site.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Citation Tools
Evidence-based medicine: a commentary on common criticisms
Sharon E. Straus, Finlay A. McAlister
CMAJ Oct 2000, 163 (7) 837-841;

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
‍ Request Permissions
Share
Evidence-based medicine: a commentary on common criticisms
Sharon E. Straus, Finlay A. McAlister
CMAJ Oct 2000, 163 (7) 837-841;
Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like

Jump to section

  • Article
    • Abstract
    • Literature search
    • Limitations
    • Misperceptions
    • Conclusion
    • Acknowledgments
    • Footnotes
    • References
  • Figures & Tables
  • Responses
  • Metrics
  • PDF

Related Articles

  • No related articles found.
  • PubMed
  • Google Scholar

Cited By...

  • Ten papers for teachers of evidence-based medicine and health care: Sicily workshop 2019
  • A plea for evidence in ecosystem service science: a framework and its application
  • Ten essential papers for the practice of evidence-based medicine
  • Are Residents Learning to Follow Asthma Treatment Guidelines?
  • The association between periodontitis and coronary heart disease: A quality assessment of systematic reviews
  • Where next for evidence based healthcare?
  • The management of work-related asthma guidelines: a broader perspective
  • Using MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) to Enhance PubMed Search Strategies for Evidence-Based Practice in Physical Therapy
  • A Monograph Assignment as an Integrative Application of Evidence-Based Medicine and Pharmacoeconomic Principles
  • Evidence based practice: the practicalities of keeping abreast of clinical evidence while in training
  • Misunderstandings, misperceptions, and mistakes
  • False dichotomies: EBM, clinical freedom, and the art of medicine
  • Evaluating the teaching of evidence based medicine: conceptual framework
  • A conceptual framework may be of limited value
  • Conducting systematic reviews and creating clinical practice guidelines in dentistry: Lessons learned
  • What's the E for EBM?
  • Evidence-based medicine in practice
  • Google Scholar

More in this TOC Section

  • Bodychecking and concussions in ice hockey: Should our youth pay the price?
  • Complementary or alternative medicine: the need for plausibility
  • Deathbed disputation: a response to Peter Singer
Show more Occasional Essay

Similar Articles

 

View Latest Classified Ads

Content

  • Current issue
  • Past issues
  • Collections
  • Sections
  • Blog
  • Podcasts
  • Alerts
  • RSS
  • Early releases

Information for

  • Advertisers
  • Authors
  • Reviewers
  • CMA Members
  • CPD credits
  • Media
  • Reprint requests
  • Subscribers

About

  • General Information
  • Journal staff
  • Editorial Board
  • Advisory Panels
  • Governance Council
  • Journal Oversight
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Copyright and Permissions
CMAJ Group

Copyright 2023, CMA Impact Inc. or its licensors. All rights reserved. ISSN 1488-2329 (e) 0820-3946 (p)

All editorial matter in CMAJ represents the opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of the Canadian Medical Association or its subsidiaries.

To receive any of these resources in an accessible format, please contact us at CMAJ Group, 500-1410 Blair Towers Place, Ottawa ON, K1J 9B9; p: 1-888-855-2555; e: cmajgroup@cmaj.ca

CMA Civility, Accessibility, Privacy

 

Powered by HighWire