Table 4

Selected historical examples of interventions widely endorsed and seldom contested that are not based on any evidence from randomized trials. (Adapted from [63])

Intervention

Blood transfusion for severe hemorrhagic shock
Defibrillation for ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia
Neostigmine for myasthenia gravis
Suturing for repair of large wounds
Closed reduction/splinting for displaced long-bone fractures
Insulin for diabetes mellitus
Directed pressure/suturing to stop bleeding
Activated charcoal for strychnine poisoning

Bagshaw and Bellomo Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine 2008 3:23   doi:10.1186/1747-5341-3-23