EVBRES (EVidence-Based RESearch) is a four year (2018-2022) EU-funded COST Action CA-17117 with over 40 countries participating globally. The Action has been extended until 16th April 2023.
White Paper for the European Commission “The need for an Evidence-Based Research approach in health science“
Our aim
To encourage researchers and other stakeholders to use an Evidence-Based Research (EBR) approach while carrying out and supporting clinical research – thus avoiding redundant research.
The problem
Meta-research (i.e. research on research) indicates that clinical researchers do NOT:
- Use a systematic and transparent approach to justify new studies
- Use a systematic and transparent approach to design new studies
- Use a systematic and transparent approach when placing new results in the context of existing results from earlier similar trials
Why this is important
When earlier studies are not considered in a systematic and transparent way when justifying and designing new clinical studies:
- Too many redundant studies are performed and published – leading to the waste of time, resources and money
- Too many patients receive unnecessary placebo, or treatment which is incorrect or suboptimal – leading to the waste of health and life
When new results are not placed in the context of earlier similar trials in a systematic and transparent way:
- New results of a single study will bias the real results based upon all similar trials including the new study
- Medical reversal will happen as new interventions may be introduced in the clinic without real effect
- The recommendation that further studies are needed may be wrong and lead to new redundant studies.
Our solution
- To implement «systematicity» and «transparency» in all phases of research.
- To make sure that research is valuable, i.e. “relevant” and “necessary”.
HOW? By establishing an international European-based network to raise awareness of the EBR approach: the need to use systematic reviews when planning new studies and when placing new results in context.
To achieve our goal four working groups have been set up each with specific objectives. Find out more