Using evidence reports: progress and challenges in evidence-based decision making.

Abstract

This Perspective describes the advantages of using systematic evidence reviews in preferred drug deliberations. By involving decisionmakers in defining the scope, evidence reports help focus deliberations on clinically important questions and reduce the likelihood of bias. They define the limits of the evidence and the magnitude of differences among compared drugs; however, decisionmakers must consider other factors and apply their values to their decisions in an explicit, defensible manner. GRADE, an international consortium of systematic-review developers and users, is seeking to improve the process of incorporating considerations other than the strength of evidence in making decisions that are evidence based.