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2 – Hoped-for effects that don’t materialize

In this Chapter:

Introduction (this page)
Advice on babies’ sleeping position
Drugs to correct heart rhythm abnormalities in patients having a heart attack
Diethylstilboestrol
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
Evening primrose oil for eczema
References (Chapter 2)

Key points

Neither theory nor professional opinion is a reliable guide to safe, effective treatments
Just because a treatment is ‘established’ does not mean it does more good than harm
Even if patients do not suffer from inadequately tested treatments, using them can waste individual and community resources

Introduction

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Some treatments are in use for a long time before it is realized that they can do more harm than good.

In this section we explain how this may come about.

Next: Advice on babies’ sleeping position

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Related Learning Resources

The Bias of Language
Using research evidence: a practice guide
Desert Island Medical Journal

GET-IT Jargon Buster

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