[[edit](/w/index.php?title=Evidence-based_practice&action=edit&section=2 "Edit section: Medicine")] One of the earliest proponents of evidence-based practice was [Archie Cochrane](//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archie_Cochrane "Archie Cochrane"), an [epidemiologist](//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epidemiologist "Epidemiologist") who authored the book *Effectiveness and Efficiency: Random Reflections on Health Services* in 1972. Cochrane's book argued for the importance of properly testing health care strategies, and was foundational to the evidence-based practice of medicine.[[6]](#cite_note-6) Cochrane suggested that because resources would always be limited, they should be used to provide forms of health care which had been shown in properly designed evaluations to be effective. Cochrane maintained that the most reliable evidence was that which came from [randomised controlled trials](//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randomised_controlled_trial "Randomised controlled trial").[[7]](#cite_note-7) The term "[evidence-based medicine](//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evidence-based_medicine "Evidence-based medicine")" was introduced by [Gordon Guyatt](//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Guyatt "Gordon Guyatt") in 1990 in an unpublished program description, and the term was later first published in 1992.[[8]](#cite_note-8)[[9]](#cite_note-9)[[10]](#cite_note-10) This marked the first evidence-based practice to be formally established. Some early experiments in evidence-based medicine involved testing primitive medical techniques such as [bloodletting](//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloodletting "Bloodletting"), and studying the effectiveness of modern and accepted treatments. There has been a push for evidence-based practices in medicine by [insurance](//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insurance "Insurance") providers, which have sometimes refused coverage of practices lacking systematic evidence of usefulness. It is now expected by most clients that medical professionals should make decisions based on evidence, and stay informed about the most up-to-date information. Since the widespread adoption of evidence-based practices in medicine, the use of evidence-based practices has rapidly spread to other fields.[[11]](#cite_note-11)

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  "text": "[[edit](/w/index.php?title=Evidence-based_practice&action=edit&section=2 \"Edit section: Medicine\")]\n\nOne of the earliest proponents of evidence-based practice was [Archie Cochrane](//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archie_Cochrane \"Archie Cochrane\"), an [epidemiologist](//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epidemiologist \"Epidemiologist\") who authored the book *Effectiveness and Efficiency: Random Reflections on Health Services* in 1972. Cochrane's book argued for the importance of properly testing health care strategies, and was foundational to the evidence-based practice of medicine.[[6]](#cite_note-6) Cochrane suggested that because resources would always be limited, they should be used to provide forms of health care which had been shown in properly designed evaluations to be effective. Cochrane maintained that the most reliable evidence was that which came from [randomised controlled trials](//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randomised_controlled_trial \"Randomised controlled trial\").[[7]](#cite_note-7)\n\nThe term \"[evidence-based medicine](//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evidence-based_medicine \"Evidence-based medicine\")\" was introduced by [Gordon Guyatt](//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Guyatt \"Gordon Guyatt\") in 1990 in an unpublished program description, and the term was later first published in 1992.[[8]](#cite_note-8)[[9]](#cite_note-9)[[10]](#cite_note-10) This marked the first evidence-based practice to be formally established. Some early experiments in evidence-based medicine involved testing primitive medical techniques such as [bloodletting](//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloodletting \"Bloodletting\"), and studying the effectiveness of modern and accepted treatments. There has been a push for evidence-based practices in medicine by [insurance](//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insurance \"Insurance\") providers, which have sometimes refused coverage of practices lacking systematic evidence of usefulness. It is now expected by most clients that medical professionals should make decisions based on evidence, and stay informed about the most up-to-date information. Since the widespread adoption of evidence-based practices in medicine, the use of evidence-based practices has rapidly spread to other fields.[[11]](#cite_note-11)",
  "access_class": "public",
  "heading": "Medicine",
  "observed_at": "2026-07-18T21:40:59.214Z",
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}