On 13-Sep-06 M Power wrote:
> Thanks Paul
>
> This is an excellent response.
>
> However, I want to point out a small, but important detail that is
> potentially misleading in the description of what EBM does. The article
> says "Evidence informs us of the benefits, risks, and burdens
> associated
> with management alternatives."
>
> I think it would be more accurate to say "Evidence informs us of the
> outcomes (benefits and harms), probabilities of the outcomes, and
> burdens associated with management alternatives."
>
> In the original sentence "risks" is used to mean both "probabilities of
> harms" (which is appropriate) and "harms" (which is not quite
> accurate).
> And, "benefits" misleadingly conveys the impression that beneficial
> outcomes are certain.
>
> Michael
I think this is an important contribution!
Every sloppily or ambiguously worded statement has at least two
injuriously cutting edges:
1. The people who want to understand you will fail to obtain a
clear understanding, or may well understand something different
from what you intended.
2. The people who want to "misunderstand" you can claim that you
meant something different from what you really meant, and use
that against you.
Well said, Michael.
Best wishes to all,
Ted.
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Date: 13-Sep-06 Time: 10:06:09
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