Evidence-based fertility treatment: what do we mean?
This article explores the meaning of 'evidence-based fertility treatment' and reviews the relevance of evidence-based health care to the proposed National Service Framework (NSF) for Infertility Services. It summarizes the principles of systematic literature reviewing and proposes an agenda for those developing the NSF. This agenda is illustrated by data from a preliminary review by the authors. The main strength of the proposed NSF lies in the National Evidence-Based Clinical Guidelines but the main weakness lies in the lack of rigorous positive evidence underpinning these guidelines. The NSF team will have to appraise, enhance, extend and synthesize these reviews. The lack of an NSF would threaten the future effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of infertility services in the UK.
Russell
Ian
I
Institute of Medical and Social Care Research, University of Wales Bangor, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK.
Russell
Daphne
D
D000328:Adult; D035843:Biomedical Research; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D034121:Reproductive Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D012196:Review Literature as Topic; D013222:State Medicine; D006113:United Kingdom