Evidence-based medicine in general practice: A hindrance to optimal medical care?

The Nordic Congresses of General Practice: A gateway to a global treasure?

“…This can be exemplified by the proceedings of the plenary session ''A matter of heart'' [11]. Lively discussions regarding the theoretical foundation for medical practice continued throughout the 13 th Nordic Congress in Helsinki, resulting in the publication of more keynote lectures [12,13]. Other spin-offs of these discussions were a handful of international publications regarding sustainability and responsibility for primary care [14 Á16].…”

Individually based preventive medical recommendations – are they sustainable and responsible? A call for ethical reflection

“…Clinical practice has become characterized by a strong emphasis on prevention of future disease among currently asymptomatic people. As opposed to well-established, comprehensive community-oriented preventive programmes involving, for example, sanitation and immunizations, individually oriented preventive medicine is characterized by fragmentation, biological monitoring, and technological interventions for which there is often limited evidence of effectiveness [3,4]. There has been little debate about ''downstream'' effects of this development, in terms of consequences for the individual, the healthcare system, and society at large.…”

“…3. Equity implies that healthcare workers should be committed to first meeting the needs of those who are currently suffering and in need of medical care [4]. Second, we may prioritize well-documented and cost-effective preventive activities within limits of available resources.…”

“…The theoretical framework that underlies medical practice must comprise knowledge about the human condition that is derived both from the natural and the humanistic sciences [4]. Biomedical measures are only part of what is relevant information with regard to human health and disease.…”

Focus Groups in a Medicine-Dominated Field: Compromises or Quality Improvements?

“…One might also ask what the pursuit of other research questions and methods might give to the dominant medical discourse. Even though quantitative, evidence-based research gives important information on biomedical issues (Hetlevik, 2004), it has clear limitations when it comes to producing knowledge about, for instance, patient experiences or lay perspectives on health issues.…”