LabMedica

Download Mobile App
Recent News Expo Clinical Chem. Molecular Diagnostics Hematology Immunology Microbiology Pathology Technology Industry Focus

Professor Emeritus David L. Sackett, Developer of Evidence Based Medicine

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 01 Jun 2015
Print article
Image: Professor Emeritus David Lawrence Sackett, MD (Photo courtesy of McMaster University).
Image: Professor Emeritus David Lawrence Sackett, MD (Photo courtesy of McMaster University).
Professor Emeritus David Lawrence Sackett, MD, widely regarded as the father of evidence based medicine (EBM), died on May 13, 2015, in Canada.

Prof. Sackett obtained his medical degree at the University of Illinois (Champaign, USA) and was drafted into the US Public Health Service in 1962 as a result of the Cuban missile crisis. He received a master’s degree in epidemiology from Harvard University (Boston, MA, USA), and became interested in how the methods of epidemiology could be applied to clinical medicine, calling the combination clinical epidemiology. In 1968, the 32 year old Sackett founded Canada’s first department of clinical epidemiology and biostatistics at McMaster University (Hamilton, ON, Canada), coining the term EBM.

He remained at McMaster University until 1994, when he left to found the international Center for Evidence-Based Medicine at the University of Oxford (United Kingdom). He officially retired from academia and clinical practice in 1999, and returned to Canada to establish the Trout Research & Education Centre at McMaster. During his career, he was instrumental in developing EBM, a medical approach based on scientific evidence and critical appraisal rather than conventional wisdom.

He developed and mentored a new breed of applied clinician-scientists, and worked with them to create and disseminate EBM throughout the world. His collaborative research teams were the first to validate the efficacy of aspirin and carotid endarterectomy for patients with threatened stroke, to develop effective strategies for helping hypertensive patients, and to generate compelling evidence of the effectiveness of nurse practitioners. He published 10 books, about 50 book chapters, and over 400 papers in medical and scientific journals.

“David Sackett was a true transformer of health care. He questioned established beliefs, and explored emerging areas,” said Holger Schünemann, chair of the department of epidemiology and biostatistics at the McMaster School of Medicine. “His legacy is carried forward through his influential role on clinical trials, systematic reviews, evidence-based medicine and health education worldwide.”

Related Links:

University of Illinois
McMaster University
University of Oxford


Platinum Member
COVID-19 Rapid Test
OSOM COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test
Magnetic Bead Separation Modules
MAG and HEATMAG
Complement 3 (C3) Test
GPP-100 C3 Kit
New
Gold Member
Plasma Control
Plasma Control Level 1

Print article

Channels

Clinical Chemistry

view channel
Image: The 3D printed miniature ionizer is a key component of a mass spectrometer (Photo courtesy of MIT)

3D Printed Point-Of-Care Mass Spectrometer Outperforms State-Of-The-Art Models

Mass spectrometry is a precise technique for identifying the chemical components of a sample and has significant potential for monitoring chronic illness health states, such as measuring hormone levels... Read more

Hematology

view channel
Image: The CAPILLARYS 3 DBS devices have received U.S. FDA 510(k) clearance (Photo courtesy of Sebia)

Next Generation Instrument Screens for Hemoglobin Disorders in Newborns

Hemoglobinopathies, the most widespread inherited conditions globally, affect about 7% of the population as carriers, with 2.7% of newborns being born with these conditions. The spectrum of clinical manifestations... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: The AI predictive model identifies the most potent cancer killing immune cells for use in immunotherapies (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

AI Predicts Tumor-Killing Cells with High Accuracy

Cellular immunotherapy involves extracting immune cells from a patient's tumor, potentially enhancing their cancer-fighting capabilities through engineering, and then expanding and reintroducing them into the body.... Read more

Microbiology

view channel
Image: The T-SPOT.TB test is now paired with the Auto-Pure 2400 liquid handling platform for accurate TB testing (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

Integrated Solution Ushers New Era of Automated Tuberculosis Testing

Tuberculosis (TB) is responsible for 1.3 million deaths every year, positioning it as one of the top killers globally due to a single infectious agent. In 2022, around 10.6 million people were diagnosed... Read more

Pathology

view channel
Image: The new AI tool can help beat brain tumors (Photo courtesy of Crytal Light/Shutterstock)

New AI Tool Classifies Brain Tumors More Quickly and Accurately

Precision in diagnosing and categorizing tumors is essential for delivering effective treatment to patients. Currently, the gold standard for identifying various types of brain tumors involves DNA methylation-based... Read more