Dear All,
Thanks for the many suggestions. Below is the *preliminary* list of
general references and then specific ones which I've categorized into
drugs, surgery, tests, etc. As many of the suggestions did not inlcude
references to the evidence, please treat cautiously until you've
investigated these. We will be working up some of the examples for
teaching and I hope to update you in a few months on this.
Cheers
Paul
First, some general references with lists or discussion of use of
ineffective treatments were
Perhaps this can be cross-referenced with anything in Clinical Evidence
that falls under the "unlikely to be beneficial" or "likely to be
ineffective or harmful" category.
An editorial in Lancet referring to WHO report on rational use of medicines:
(http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs338/en/) according to which
•More than 50% of all medicines are prescribed, dispensed or sold
inappropriately, and half of all patients fail to take medicines correctly.
•The overuse, underuse or misuse of medicines harms people and wastes
resources.
•More than 50% of all countries do not implement basic policies to
promote rational use of medicines.
•In developing countries, less than 40% of patients in the public sector
and 30% in the private sector are treated according to clinical guidelines.
•A combination of health-care provider education and supervision,
consumer education, and an adequate medicines supply is effective in
improving the use of medicines, while any of these interventions alone
has limited impact.

In the paper describing the SORT classification,
(http://www.aafp.org/afp/2004/0201/p548.html) Ebbell et al list 13
examples where DOOs have misled us (either encouraging
dangeroustreatment eg lidocaine infusion post-MI or discouraging
helpful; treatment eg beta-blockers in heart failure). Full references
are given, and include
Doxazosin for blood pressure12; Lidocaine for arrhythmia following acute
myocardial infarction13; Finasteride for benign prostatic hypertrophy14;
Arthroscopic surgery for osteoarthritis of the knee15; Sleeping infants
on their stomach or side16; Vitamin E for heart disease17; Histamine
antagonists and protonpump inhibitors for nonulcer dyspepsia18; Hormone
therapy19
Keeps blood glucose levels below 120 mg per dL (6.7 mmol per L); Sodium
fluoride for fracture prevention21; Lidocaine prophylaxis following
acute myocardial infarction22; Clofibrate for hyperlipidemia23

PHARMACEUTICALS
New drugs
Nesiritide for acute pulmonary edema - Became popular -
Intravenous Nesiritide vs Nitroglycerin for Treatment of Decompensated.
Congestive Heart Failure A Randomized Controlled Trial. JAMA Vol. 287
No. 12, March 27, 2002
Then....not so popular
Short-term Risk of Death After Treatment With Nesiritide for
Decompensated Heart Failure Pooled Analysis of Randomized Controlled
Trials . Jonathan D. Sackner-Bernstein, MD; Marcin Kowalski, MD; Marshal
Fox, MD; Keith Aaronson, MD, MS JAMA. 2005;293:1900-1905.
(Thanks to Michael Brown which included references to both evidence and
uptake).
Rosiglitazone ; tight diabetic control
An older example was antiarrhythmics for dysrhythmias post MI.

Old drugs; new uses
Corticosteroids for major head trauma - CRASH study and consequent
metanalyses
Methylprednisolone for spinal cord injury. This even was a Cochrane
review done by the author of the original study and based on that study
alone. It probably caused more deaths than any potential beneficial
effect, which was never very clear.
Lidocaine for arrythmia post MI
antibiotics for many minor infections,
- Rx of Chronic Lyme Disease
(http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/357/14/1422)
Cough suppressants for the common cold (a billion dollar industry)

TESTS
computer-aided detection in mammography
electronic fetal monitoring during labor
Mandatory laboratory workup in febrile children 3 to 36 months, although
some of this was as a result of the introduction of Hemophilus influenza
type b and pneumococcal vaccines

SURGERY
vertebroplasty for painful osteoporotic vertebral fractures (Buchbinder
R, N Engl J Med 2009;361:557-68)
endovascular repair for carotid aneurysms (likely also for aortic
abdominal aneurysms)
Routine D & C for missed abortion
Routine episiotomy in low risk pregnancies
tidying lavage arthroscopy for OA knee

PHYSICAL THERAPY
- laser therapy for musculoskeletal disorders
- ultrasound therapy for musculoskeletal disorders
- treatment with low frequent electric currents for musculoskeletal
disorders
Bed rest for acute back pain
Patching for simple corneal abrasions -
http://www2.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab004764.html
Sleep position and sudden infant death syndrome

PSYCHOLOGICAL
Psychological debriefing for preventing PTSD
http://www.mrw.interscience.wiley.com/cochrane/clsysrev/articles/CD006869/frame.html
http://www.mrw.interscience.wiley.com/cochrane/clsysrev/articles/CD000560/frame.html

COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE
Anti-oxidant vitamins (vitamin A, beta carotene, vitamin E and probably
vitamin C) the 2008 Cochrane review on the harmful effects of these in
people without diagnosed deficiencies. The best evidence from double
blind placebo controlled rcts suggest they increase the risk of total
mortality by 5-15% making them as harmful as passive smoking (yet based
on better quality evidence). Several more recent rcts suggest the B
vitamins also increase the risk of death.
Glucosamine fo OA. Early pharma trials positive, later non-pharma trials
-ve. Recent excellent HTA review of this.
A list of suggested treatments (mostly ineffective) is given with trial
evidence at:
<http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/Files/Complementary%20and%20alternative%20medicines_11012010154331.pdf>

Thanks for suggestions to: Ahmed Abou-Setta, Bruce Arroll, Roland
Buchter, Chris Del Mar, Ben Djulbegovic, Donald Stanley, Carlos Cuello,
Michael Brown, Geert van der Heijden, Andy Hutchinson, James M. Walker,
Josh Fenton, Klim McPherson, Lubna Al-Ansary, Margaret Holmes-Rovner,
Mark Porcheret, Dan Mayer, Daniel Passerman, Ray Armstrong, Rod Jackson,
Rich Saitz, Eddy Lang