SPOTLIGHT: When standard procedures don't work

Evidence-based medicine--it sounds good, but how often is it really practiced? Not as often as it could be, it seems. The most recent evidence of these came this week, when researchers concluded that angioplasties and stents are used far more often than they should be. The problem is, doctors are understandably reluctant to deny patients treatments they think will work, even if that will help researchers understand larger health issues. And then, there's always plain old social pressure to stick with the conventional wisdom. The result, often, is delayed solutions for common problems, not to mention poor patient outcomes. Article

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