Relevant evidence

Are the treatments different from those available to you?

Always ask yourself if the treatments evaluated in fair comparisons are relevant.

For example, a fair comparison of the effects of a surgical procedure done in a specialised hospital or delivered by an experienced practitioner may not provide a reliable estimate of its effects and safety in other settings, or in the hands of less experienced practitioners.

Similarly, comparing a new drug to a placebo or a drug that is not commonly used (and that is less effective or safe than commonly used drugs) would not provide a relevant estimate of how the new drug compares to commonly used drugs.

REMEMBER: Ask whether the treatments available to you are sufficiently different from those in the research studies that the results may not apply to you.