Evidence based decision making in pediatric practice

Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) is integrating individual clinical expertise with the best available external evidence from systematic research. It has made rapid strides in the last ten years with an increase in the number of EBM centers, books and agencies. The supporters of EBM claim that it is the best and most objective system of medicine. Its opponents criticize it for many reasons referring to EBM as ‘cook-book’ medicine and the fad of epidemiologists etc. Though EBM centers are coming up at a fast rate in the western world, our part of the world has not yet fully aligned with this initiative. The purpose of this communication is to introduce EBM to pediatricians. Provided herein, is a brief introduction followed by brief history, how to incorporate evidence-based practice into the clinical setting and the main criticisms against it.