04.02.2015 Views

Dictionary of Evidence-based Medicine.pdf

Dictionary of Evidence-based Medicine.pdf

Dictionary of Evidence-based Medicine.pdf

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

28 <strong>Dictionary</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Evidence</strong>-<strong>based</strong> <strong>Medicine</strong><br />

initially healthy group (cohort) <strong>of</strong> individuals exposed to different levels<br />

<strong>of</strong> a suspected risk factor (smoking) for a disease (e.g. lung cancer) and<br />

following them for a number <strong>of</strong> years after recruitment. By comparing the<br />

incidence <strong>of</strong> the disease in the different groups, quantitative statements<br />

can be made about the strength <strong>of</strong> association between the risk factor and<br />

the disease (see also under Prospective case-control studies).<br />

Cohort studies have also been referred to as prospective studies (although<br />

any study in which subjects are followed forward in time is accurately<br />

described as prospective), incidence studies, longitudinal studies or<br />

follow-up studies.<br />

COI (see Cost <strong>of</strong> illness analysis)<br />

Committee on Safety <strong>of</strong> <strong>Medicine</strong>s<br />

The Committee on Safety <strong>of</strong> <strong>Medicine</strong>s (CSM) is an advisory body consisting<br />

<strong>of</strong> drug experts, set up to advise the UK ministers <strong>of</strong> health (the<br />

Licensing Authority) on drug licensing. Drug licence applications sent to<br />

the <strong>Medicine</strong>s Control Agency are evaluated by its secretariat and recommendations<br />

about granting <strong>of</strong> the licences made with the advice <strong>of</strong> the<br />

CSM. The latter also advises on licence applications which are sent to the<br />

European <strong>Medicine</strong>s Evaluation Agency (EMEA) for Europe-wide approval.<br />

For such applications, one <strong>of</strong> the EU member countries acts as rapporteur<br />

to co-ordinate all the responses. The CSM also produces a regular leaflet on<br />

current problems in pharmacovigilance (http://www.open.gov.uk/mca/).<br />

Community health councils<br />

Community health councils are independent bodies first set up in 1974 by<br />

the UK government to represent the interests <strong>of</strong> the public in the health<br />

service in their area.<br />

Community Health Index (see under Cluster sampling)<br />

Compliance<br />

<strong>Medicine</strong> compliance raises highly complex issues and for this reason there<br />

is no consensus on its definition. However, a common working definition<br />

is 'the extent to which patients adhere to the advice given by the health<br />

care provider'. The term 'adhere' is now generally preferred to 'comply' in

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!