comparative effectiveness research


comparative effectiveness research

Any head-to-head study of alternative solutions to managing a disease, esp. when such a study examines a broadly representative population of patients and follows them for a long enough time to determine meaningful outcomes. Its goal is to identify which treatment produces the best clinical outcomes for most patients, rather than which is better than a placebo or which influences a laboratory test or other surrogate marker without having an impact on the actual health or longevity of patients. See also: research