title: Pharmaco-epistemology for the prescribing geriatrician.
abstract: Clinicians are becoming more reliant on their interpretation of clinical trial information to guide prescribing rather than their clinical skills. Thus to improve prescribing, it is increasingly important for clinicians to have an appreciation of epistemology (the science of knowledge and its interpretation) and the broader social context of knowledge. The insights of epistemologists can be useful in understanding the different ways in which clinical trials data are interpreted.
authors: Centre for Education and Research on Ageing, Concord RG Hospital and the ANZAC Research Institute, Concord, New South Wales, Australia. dlecouteur@med.usyd.edu.au
authors: David G
authors: DG
authors: Le Couteur
authors: Hal
authors: H
authors: Kendig
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004363:Drug Utilization; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D005853:Geriatrics / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D019359:Knowledge; D008297:Male; D009517:New South Wales; D010601:Pharmacology, Clinical / Q000379:methods*; D018570:Risk Assessment