Sep 11, 2019
Between scalpel and algorithm - evidence-based surgery: the IQWiG Autumn Symposium
Surgery also needs good evidence: How can the surgically relevant research questions best be tackled?
Evidence-based surgery? Is that even possible? There is still the prejudice that everything in surgery is different, especially in comparison with drugs, and that controlled studies are not necessary or not feasible at all. One reason for this may be that the framework for clinical research in surgery is different, also because regulatory authorities do not initially demand high-quality research; therefore incentives to produce reliable clinical study results are lacking. However, as with medication, before surgery patients are just as interested in which surgical procedure is the most suitable for them: A or B or a conservative approach? Here, controlled studies and meta-analyses as traditional instruments of evidence-based medicine can generate the necessary answers.
Increasing importance of robotics and artificial intelligence
How has clinical-surgical research developed over the last 30 years and which research networks have been established? What is the infrastructure for the promotion of clinical studies in surgery? What are the methodological challenges facing those responsible for studies in the surgical disciplines? What are the facts and figures on the translation of evidence-based surgery into practice? Eleven experts will answer these questions at the IQWiG Autumn Symposium on 29 and 30 November in Cologne and will examine the topic from different angles. The focus will also be on everyday surgical practice as well as on the legal framework under which clinical research takes place, especially in view of the increasing importance of support systems and artificial intelligence in the operating theatre. Do these technical innovations still offer room for evidence-based medicine?
As always, the IQWiG Autumn Symposium provides plenty of room for open questions, interdisciplinary discussions and networking. All information on the programme, location and registration for this free-of-charge event can be found on the IQWiG website.
Please note: all presentations are in German and no interpreting services are available.