Trip Database Blog

A further update on the cost of search via another Freedom of Information request to NHS Evidence.

In the previous analysis (click here) I highlighted their budget was over £24 million, of which over £10 million was on content (e.g. Cochrane, BNF) and a further £2 million was on the specialist libraries (which have now ceased to exist). Therefore, removing the cost of the specialist libraries and content (a total of £12,675,971) leaves their core budget of £11.8 million (I’ve rounded up).

The FoI request highlighted that actually only 384,661 searches are carried out via the NHS Evidence site per month (or, if multiplied by 12 it gives an approximate annual search total of 4.62 million searches (I’ve rounded up). I’ve excluded both the CKS and specialist library search figures (as I have their costs as they are no longer procured).

Therefore, a cost of £11.8 million yields 4.62 million searches = £2.55 per search.

The TRIP costs have not altered and remain at 0.43 pence per search.

So, each search of NHS Evidence appears to be 593 times more expensive than TRIP.

A while ago we asked TRIP users what they thought of the monthly TRIP emails and we got a broadly positive response.  However, we’ve tried to listen to some of the constructive comments and have created a ‘mock-up’ of what a new email system might look like (click on image to make bigger).

What we’ve done is simplify the columns (as we’re introducing new categories in the near future – namely social media) so increasing the number of columns would look even messier!  To see what’s new you’d click on – say – cholesterol – and that would take you to the TRIP results page with ALL the new content for cholesterol.  Users can then click on any category they like to see the relevant articles.

Please let me know what you think – leave a comment or email me: jon.brassey@tripdatabase.com

Below is an initial list of landmark clinial trials and/or systematic reviews.  Email me (jon.brassey@tripdatabase.com) for sugestions for additional trials or how to improve this resource.

Recently Added

• CRASH trial collaborators. Final results of MRC CRASH, a randomised placebo-controlled trial of intravenous corticosteroid in adults with head injury-outcomes at 6 months. Lancet. 2005 Jun 4-10;365(9475):1957-9 – In ‘Trauma’
• Beal SM, Finch CF. An overview of retrospective case-control studies investigating the relationship between prone sleeping position and SIDS. J Paediatr Child Health. 1991 Dec;27(6):334-9 – In ‘Pediatrics’
• Ioannidis JPA, 2005 Why Most Published Research Findings Are False. PLoS Med 2(8). – In ‘Other’ section.
• Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group (November 1992). Evidence-based medicine. A new approach to teaching the practice of medicine. JAMA 268 (17): 2420–5. – In ‘Other’ section.
• Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes Study Group. Effects of intensive glucose lowering in type 2 diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2008 Jun 12;358(24):2545-59. Epub 2008 Jun 6 – in ‘Endocrinology’

Anaesthesia

• Mendelson, C. L. The aspiration of stomach contents into the lungs during obstetric anesthesia. Amer. J. Obstet. Gynec., 52: 191. 1946. This study described a new type of adult respiratory distress syndrome due to aspiration of gastric hydrochloric acid. PMID: 20993766 (and here and here)
• Catley DM, Thornton C, Jordan C, Lehane JR, Royston D, Jones JG. Pronounced, episodic oxygen desaturation in the postoperative period: its association with ventilatory pattern and analgesic regimen. Anesthesiology 1985;63:20-8.  PMID: 4014768
• Cormack RS Lehane JR Adams AP Carli F. Laryngosopy grades and percentage glottic openening. Anaesthesia. 2000;55(2):184. PMID: 10755959
• Bailey AR, Jones JG. Patients’ memories of events during general anaesthesia. Anaesthesia 1997. 52:460-76 PMID: 9165967
• Severinghaus JW,  Astrup P, and  Murray JF Blood Gas Analysis and Critical Care Medicine. Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., Volume 157,  1998, S114-S122 PMID: 9563770
• Murphy PG, Myers DS, Davies MJ, Webster NR, and Jones JG. The antioxidant potential of propofol (2,6-diisopropylphenol). Br J Anaesth 1992;68:613-618. PMID: 1319189

Cardiology

• Yusuf S, Sleight P, Pogue J, Bosch J, Davies R, Dagenais G. Effects of an angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor, ramipril, on cardiovascular events in high-risk patients. The Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation Study Investigators.N Engl J Med. 2000 Jan 20;342(3):145-53. PMID: 10639539 (and here)
• Antiplatelet Trialists’ Collaboration. Collaborative overview of randomised trials of antiplatelet therapy–I: Prevention of death, myocardial infarction, and stroke by prolonged antiplatelet therapy in various categories of patients BMJ. 1994 Jan 8;308(6921):81-106. PMID 8298418
• Cardiac Arrhythmia Suppression Trial (CAST) Investigators. Preliminary report: effect of encainide and flecainide on mortality in a randomized trial of arrhythmia suppression after myocardial infarction. N Engl J Med. 1989;321:406-412. PMID 2473403
• Randomized trial of cholesterol lowering in 4444 patients with coronary heart disease: The Scandinavian Simvastatin Survival Study Lancet 1994; 344 1383-1389 PMID 7968073
• Thomas R. Dawber, M.D., Gilcin F. Meadors, M.D., M.P.H., and Felix E. Moore, Jr., National Heart Institute, National Institutes of Health, Public Health Service, Federal Security Agensy, Washington, D. C., Epidemiological Approaches to Heart Disease: The Framingham Study Presented at a Joint Session of the Epidemiology, Health Officers, Medical Care, and Statistics Sections of the American Public Health Association, at the Seventy-eighth Annual Meeting in St. Louis, Mo., November 3, 1950. Framingham Heart Study
• Teo KK, Yusuf S, Fuberg CD. Effects of prophylactic anti-arrhythmic drug therapy in acute myocardial infarction. JAMA 1993;270:1589-95. PMID: 8371471
• Waldo AL, Camm AJ, deRuyter H, Friedman PL, Macneil DJ, Pauls JF, Pitt B, Pratt CM, Schwartz PJ, Veltri EP. Effect of d-sotalol on mortality in patients with left ventricular dysfunction after recent and remote myocardial infarction. Lancet. 1996;348:7-12. PMID: 8691967
• Theroux P, Ouimet H, McCans J, et al. Aspirin, heparin or both to treat unstable angina. N Engl J Med 1988;319:1105-11. PMID: 3050522
• Curb JD, Pressel SL, Cutler JA, et al. Effect of diuretic-based antihypertensive treatment on cardiovascular disease risk in older diabetic patients with isolated systolic hypertension. JAMA. 1996;276:1886-1892 PMID: 8968014
• Herrington DM et al. Effects of estrogen replacement on the progression of coronary-artery atherosclerosis. N Engl H Med 2000;343:522-9. PMID: 10954759
• ISIS-2 (Second International Study of Infarct Survival) Collaborative Group. Randomised trial of intravenous streptokinase, oral aspirin, both, or neither among 17,187 cases of suspected acute myocardial infarction: ISIS-2. Lancet. 1988 Aug 13;2(8607):349-60. PMID: 2899772
• Effect of metoprolol CR/XL in chronic heart failure: Metoprolol CR/XL Randomised Intervention Trial in Congestive Heart Failure (MERIT-HF). Lancet. 1999 Jun 12;353(9169):2001-7. PMID: 10376614
• Effects of enalapril on mortality in severe congestive heart failure. Results of the Cooperative North Scandinavian Enalapril Survival Study (CONSENSUS). The CONSENSUS Trial Study Group. N Engl J Med 1987;316(23):1429-35. PMID: 2883575
• Gruppo Italiano per lo Studio della Streptochi-nasi nell’Infarto Miocardico (GISSI). Long-term effects of intravenous thrombolysis in acute myocardial infarction: final report of the GISSI study. Lancet 1987; 2(8564):871-4. PMID: 2889079
• Colwell, C. W., Jr., D. K. Collis, et al. (1999). Comparison of enoxaparin and warfarin for the prevention of venous thromboembolic disease after total hip arthroplasty. Evaluation during hospitalization and three months after discharge. J Bone Joint Surg Am 81(7): 932-40. PMID: 10428124
• Leroyer, C., L. Bressollette, et al. (1998). Early versus delayed introduction of oral vitamin K antagonists in combination with low-molecular-weight heparin in the treatment of deep vein thrombosis. A randomized clinical trial. The ANTENOX Study Group. Haemostasis 28(2): 70-7 PMID: 10087431
• Decousus, H., A. Leizorovicz, et al. (1998). A clinical trial of vena caval filters in the prevention of pulmonary embolism in patients with proximal deep-vein thrombosis. Prevention du Risque d’Embolie Pulmonaire par Interruption Cave Study Group [see comments]. N Engl J Med 338(7): 409-15. PMID: 9459643
• ENOXACAN Study Group. Efficacy and safety of enoxaparin versus unfractionated heparin for prevention of deep vein thrombosis in elective cancer surgery: a double-blind randomized multicentre trial with venographic assessment. Br J Surg 1997;84(8): 1099-103. PMID: 9278651
• Turpie, A. G., M. N. Levine, et al. (1986). A randomized controlled trial of a low-molecular-weight heparin (enoxaparin) to prevent deep-vein thrombosis in patients undergoing elective hip surgery. N Engl J Med 315(15): 925-9. PMID: 3531851
• Planes, A., N. Vochelle, et al. (1988). Prevention of postoperative venous thrombosis: a randomized trial comparing unfractionated heparin with low molecular weight heparin in patients undergoing total hip replacement. Thromb Haemost 60(3): 407-10. PMID: 2853459
• The Columbus Investigators. Low-molecular-weight heparin in the treatment of patients with venous thromboembolism. N Engl J Med 1997;337(10):657-62. PMID: 9280815
• Barritt DW,Jordan SC. Anticoagulant drugs in the treatment of pulmonary embolism. A controlled trial. Lancet 1960;1:1309-1312 PMID: 13797091
• Simonneau, G., H. Sors, et al. (1997). A comparison of low-molecular-weight heparin with unfractionated heparin for acute pulmonary embolism. The THESEE Study Group. Tinzaparine ou Heparine Standard: Evaluations dans l’Embolie Pulmonaire N Engl J Med 337(10): 663-9 PMID: 9278462
• Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation Study. Final results [see comments]. Circulation 1991;84(2): 527-39. PMID: 1860198
• Flaker, G. C., J. L. Blackshear, et al. (1992). Antiarrhythmic drug therapy and cardiac mortality in atrial fibrillation. The Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation Investigators. J Am Coll Cardiol 20(3): 527-32. PMID: 1512329
• Adjusted-dose warfarin versus low-intensity, fixed-dose warfarin plus aspirin for high-risk patients with atrial fibrillation: Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation III randomised clinical trial [see comments]. Lancet 1996;348(9028): 633-8. PMID: 8782752
• Stampfer MJ, Goldhaber SZ, Yusuf S, Peto R, Hennekens CH. Effect of intravenous streptokinase on acute myocardial infarction: pooled results from randomized trials. N Engl J Med. 1982 Nov 4;307(19):1180-2. PMID: 6750403

Cystic Fibrosis

• Gibson RL et al. Significant microbiological effect of inhaled tobramycin in young children with cystic fibrosis. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2003;167(6):841–9 PMID: 12480612
• Valerius NH, Koch C, Hoiby N. Prevention of chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonisation in cystic fibrosis by early treatment. Lancet 1991;338(8769):725–6 PMID: 1679870
• MacLusky IB, Gold R, Corey M, Levison H. Long-term effects of inhaled tobramycin in patients with cystic fibrosis colonized with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Pediatr Pulmonol, 1989;7(1):42–8 PMID: 2505216
• Gappa M, Steinkamp G, Tummler B, Von Der Hardt H. Long-term tobramycin aerosol therapy of chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in patients with cystic fibrosis. Scand J Gastroenterol 1987;23(Suppl 143):74–6 PMID: 3164515
• Littlewood JM, Miller MG, Ghoneim AT, Ramsden CH. Nebulised colomycin for early pseudomonas colonisation in cystic fibrosis. Lancet 1985;1(8433):865 PMID: 2858720
• Wall MA, Terry AB, Eisenberg J, Mcnamara M, Cohen R. Inhaled antibiotics in Cystic Fibrosis. Lancet 1983;1(8337):1325 PMID: 6134106
• Hodson ME, Penketh ARL, Batten JC. Aerosol carbenicillin and gentamicin treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in patients with cystic fibrosis. Lancet 1981;2(8256):1137–9 PMID: 6118579

Endocrinology

• The effect of intensive treatment of diabetes on the development and progression of long-term complications in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. The Diabetes Control and Complications Trial Research Group. N Engl J Med. 1993 Sep 30;329(14):977-86. PMID: 8366922 (also here, here and here)
• Conn JW. Presidential address. I. Painting background. II. Primary aldosteronism, a new clinical syndrome. J lab clin med 1955;45(1):3 PMID: 13233623
• Conn JW, Cohen EL and Rovner DR. Suppression of Plasma Renin Activity in Primary Aldosteronism.  Distinguishing Primary from Secondary Aldosteronism in Hypertensive Disease. JAMA  1964; 190:213 21. and republished in JAMA 1985;253(4):558 as landmark article PMID: 3881606
• Cushing HW The basophil adenomas of the pituitary body and their clinical manifestations(pituitary basophilism). Bull Johns Hopkins Hosp 1932; 50:137–195 Full text
• Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes Study Group. Effects of intensive glucose lowering in type 2 diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2008 Jun 12;358(24):2545-59. Epub 2008 Jun 6. PMID: 18539917 (and full text)

Epidemiology

• Doll Richard, Bradford Hilly A (June 26, 1954). “The mortality of doctors in relation to their smoking habits. A preliminary report”. British Medical Journal 1 (4877): 1451–55. PMID 13160495
• Antiplatelet Trialists’ Collaboration. Collaborative overview of randomised trials of antiplatelet therapy–I: Prevention of death, myocardial infarction, and stroke by prolonged antiplatelet therapy in various categories of patients BMJ. 1994 Jan 8;308(6921):81-106. PMID 8298418
• Cardiac Arrhythmia Suppression Trial (CAST) Investigators. Preliminary report: effect of encainide and flecainide on mortality in a randomized trial of arrhythmia suppression after myocardial infarction. N Engl J Med. 1989;321:406-412. PMID 2473403
• MRC Streptomycin in Tuberculosis Trials Committee. Streptomycin treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis. BMJ. 1948;ii:769–783. James Lind summary
• Thomas Francis, Robert Korn, et al. “An Evaluation of the the 1954 Poliomyelitis Vaccine Trials.” American Journal of Public Health 45 (1955), 50 page supplement with a 63 page appendix. The salk vaccine trials
• Randomized trial of cholesterol lowering in 4444 patients with coronary heart disease: The Scandinavian Simvastatin Survival Study Lancet 1994; 344 1383-1389 PMID 7968073
• The Editors Of The Lancet (February 2010). “Retraction–Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia, non-specific colitis, and pervasive developmental disorder in children”. Lancet 375 (9713): 445. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(10)60175-4. PMID 20137807.
• Bonadonna G, Brusamolino E, Valagussa P, Veronesi U. Adjuvant study with combination chemotherapy in operable breast cancer. Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res Am Soc Clin Oncol 1975;16:254-and N Engl J Med. 1976 Feb 19;294(8):405-10. PMID 1246307
• Thomas R. Dawber, M.D., Gilcin F. Meadors, M.D., M.P.H., and Felix E. Moore, Jr., National Heart Institute, National Institutes of Health, Public Health Service, Federal Security Agensy, Washington, D. C., Epidemiological Approaches to Heart Disease: The Framingham Study Presented at a Joint Session of the Epidemiology, Health Officers, Medical Care, and Statistics Sections of the American Public Health Association, at the Seventy-eighth Annual Meeting in St. Louis, Mo., November 3, 1950. Framingham Heart Study
• On the Mode of Communication of Cholera by John Snow, M.D. London: John Churchill, New Burlington Street, England, 1855 On the Mode of communication of cholera

Gastroenterology

• Miao LL. Gastric freezing: an example of the evaluation of medical therapy by randomized trials. In: Bunker JP, Barnes, Mosteller F, eds. Costs, risks, and benefits of surgery. Oxford University Press, New York: 1977, pp 198-211
• Riemann, J. F., D. Schilling, et al. (1997). Cure with omeprazole plus amoxicillin versus long-term ranitidine therapy in Helicobacter pylori-associated peptic ulcer bleeding [see comments]. Gastrointest Endosc 46(4): 299-304. PMID: 9351030
• Graham, D. Y., G. M. Lew, et al. (1992). Effect of treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection on the long-term recurrence of gastric or duodenal ulcer. A randomized, controlled study [see comments]. Ann Intern Med 116(9): 705-8. PMID: 1558340

Hematology

• Ungley CC: Vitamin B12 in pernicious anaemia: parenteral administration. BMJ 1949; II: 1370-1377. PMID: 15397501

Infectious disease

• On the Mode of Communication of Cholera by John Snow, M.D. London: John Churchill, New Burlington Street, England, 1855 On the Mode of communication of cholera
• MRC Streptomycin in Tuberculosis Trials Committee. Streptomycin treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis. BMJ. 1948;ii:769–783. James Lind summary
• Thomas Francis, Robert Korn, et al. “An Evaluation of the the 1954 Poliomyelitis Vaccine Trials.” American Journal of Public Health 45 (1955), 50 page supplement with a 63 page appendix. The salk vaccine trials
• Warrell DA, Looareesuwan S, Warrell MJ, Kasemsarn P, Intaraprasert R, Bunnag D, Harinasuta T Dexamethasone proves deleterious in cerebral malaria. A double-blind trial in 100 comatose patients.N Engl J Med 1982 Feb 11;306(6):313-9 PMID: 7033788
• Abraham EP, Chain E, Fletcher CM, Gardner AD, Heatley NG, Jennings MA: Further observations on penicillin. Lancet 1941; 2: 177-88

Nephrology

• Lewis EJ, Hunsicker LG, Lan SP, Rohde RD, Lachin JM. A controlled trial of plasmapheresis therapy in severe lupus nephritis. The Lupus Nephritis Collaborative Study Group. N Engl J Med. 1992 May 21;326(21):1373-9. PMID: 1569973

Neurology

• The EC/IC Bypass Study Group. Failure of Extracranial-Intracranial Arterial Bypass to Reduce the Risk of Ischemic Stroke. N.Engl.J.Med. 1985; 313: 1191-1200 PMID: 2865674

Oncology

• Bonadonna, G., E. Brusamolino, et al. (1976). Combination chemotherapy as an adjuvant treatment in operable breast cancer. N Engl J Med 294(8):405-10. PMID: 1246307
• Rossi, A., G. Bonadonna, et al. (1981). Multimodal treatment in operable breast cancer: five-year results of the CMF programme. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 282(6274): 1427-31. PMID: 6784849
• Bonadonna, G., M. Zambetti, et al. (1995). Sequential or alternating doxorubicin and CMF regimens in breast cancer with more than three positive nodes. Ten-year results [see comments]. JAMA 273(7):542-7. PMID: 7837388
• Bonadonna, G., P. Valagussa, et al. (1995). Adjuvant cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil in node- positive breast cancer: the results of 20 years of follow-up [see comments]. N Engl J Med 332(14): 901-6. PMID: 7877646
• Fisher, B., M. Bauer, et al. (1985). Five-year results of a randomized clinical trial comparing total mastectomy and segmental mastectomy with or without radiation in the treatment of breast cancer. N Engl J Med 312(11):665-73. PMID: 3883167
• Fisher, B., C. Redmond, et al. (1985). Ten-year results of a randomized clinical trial comparing radical mastectomy and total mastectomy with or without radiation. N Engl J Med 312(11): 674-81. PMID: 3883168 
• Fisher, B., C. Redmond, et al. (1990). Postoperative chemotherapy and tamoxifen compared with tamoxifen alone in the treatment of positive-node breast cancer patients aged 50 years and older with tumors responsive to tamoxifen: results from the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project B-16 [see comments]. J Clin Oncol 8(6): 1005-18. PMID: 2189950
• Fisher, B., A. Brown, et al. (1997). Effect of preoperative chemotherapy on local-regional disease in women with operable breast cancer: findings from National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project B-18 [see comments]. J Clin Oncol 15(7): 2483-93. PMID: 9215816
• Canellos GP, Anderoson JP, Propert KJ, etl. Chemotherapy of advanced Hodgkin’s disease with MOPP, ABVD vs. MOPP alternating with ABVD. N Engl J Med 1992;327:1478 PMID: 1383821
• Fisher, B., N. Wolmark, et al. (1988). Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy or radiation therapy for rectal cancer: results from NSABP protocol R-01. J Natl Cancer Inst 80(1): 21-9 PMID: 3276900
• Wolmark, N., H. Rockette, et al. (1999). Clinical trial to assess the relative efficacy of fluorouracil and leucovorin, fluorouracil and levamisole, and fluorouracil, leucovorin, and levamisole in patients with Dukes’ B and C carcinoma of the colon: results from National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project C-04. J Clin Oncol 17(11): 3553-9. PMID: 10550154
• Okawara, G., J. Rusthoven, et al. (1997). Unresected stage III non-small-cell lung cancer. Provincial Lung Cancer Disease Site Group. Cancer Prev Control 1(3): 249-59. PMID: 9765750
• McKelvey EM, Gottlieb JA, Wislon HE, et el.: Hydroxyadaunomycin (Adriamycin) combination chemotherapy in malignant lymphoma. Cancer 1976; 38: 1484. PMID: 791473
• Tirelli, U., D. Errante, et al. (1998). CHOP is the standard regimen in patients > or = 70 years of age with intermediate-grade and high-grade non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma: results of a randomized study of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Lymphoma Cooperative Study Group. J Clin Oncol 16(1): 27-34. PMID: 9440719
• Fisher, R. I., E. R. Gaynor, et al. (1993). Comparison of a standard regimen (CHOP) with three intensive chemotherapy regimens for advanced non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma [see comments]. N Engl J Med 328(14): 1002-6. PMID: 7680764
• Miller, T. P., S. Dahlberg, et al. (1998). Chemotherapy alone compared with chemotherapy plus radiotherapy for localized intermediate- and high-grade non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma [see comments]. N Engl J Med 339(1): 21-6. PMID: 9647875
• Stadtmauer EA, O’Neill OA, Goldstein LJ et al., Conventional-Dose Chemotherapy Compared with High-Dose Chemotherapy plus Autologous Hematopoietic Stem-Cell Transplantation for Metastatic Breast Cancer. N Engl J Med 2000;342:1069-76. PMID: 10760307
• Einhorn LH, Donohue J. Cis-diamminedichloroplatinum, vinblastine, and bleomycin combination chemotherapy in disseminated testicular cancer. Ann Intern Med. 1977 Sep;87(3):293-8. PMID: 71004
• Devita VT Jr, Serpick AA, Carbone PP. Combination chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced Hodgkin’s disease. Ann Intern Med. 1970 Dec;73(6):881-95. PMID: 5525541
• Piro LD, Carrera CJ, Carson DA, Beutler E. Lasting remissions in hairy-cell leukemia induced by a single infusion of 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine. N Engl J Med. 1990 Apr 19;322(16):1117-21. PMID: 1969613

Ophthalmology

• Optic nerve decompressive surgery for nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) is not effective and may be harmful. The Ischemic Optic Neuropathy Decompression Trial Research Group [see comments]. JAMA 1995; 273: 625-632 PMID: 7844872

Pediatrics

• Beal SM, Finch CF. An overview of retrospective case-control studies investigating the relationship between prone sleeping position and SIDS. J Paediatr Child Health. 1991 Dec;27(6):334-9. PMID: 1836736

Respiratory

• The TORCH trial. Calverley PM, Anderson JA, Celli B, Ferguson GT, Jenkins C, Jones PW, Yates JC, Vestbo J; TORCH investigators. Salmeterol and fluticasone propionate and survival in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. N Engl J Med. 2007 Feb 22;356(8):775-89. PMID: 17314337 (and here)
• The UPLIFT study. Tashkin DP, Celli B, Senn S, Burkhart D, Kesten S, Menjoge S, Decramer M; UPLIFT Study Investigators. A 4-year trial of tiotropium in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. N Engl J Med. 2008 Oct 9;359(15):1543-54 PMID: 18836213 (and here)
• Crane J. Pearce N. Flatt A. Burgess C. Jackson R. Kwong T. Ball M. Beasley R. Prescribed fenoterol and death from asthma in New Zealand, 1981-83: case-control study [see comments]. Lancet. 1(8644):917-22, 1989 Apr 29. PMID: 2565417

 Surgery

• An evaluation of internal-mammary-artery ligation by a double-blind technic. Cobb LA, Thomas GI, Dillard DH, Merendino KA, Bruce RA. N Engl J Med. 1959 May 28;260(22):1115-8. PMID: 13657350
• Comparison of internal mammary artery ligation and sham operation for angina pectoris. Dimond EG, Kittle CF, Crockett JE. Am J Cardiol. 1960 Apr;5:483-6. PMID: 13816818
• POISE Study Group. Effects of extended-release metoprolol succinate in patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery (POISE trial): a randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2008 May 31;371(9627):1839-47. Epub 2008 May 12. PMID: 18479744

Trauma

• CRASH trial collaborators. Final results of MRC CRASH, a randomised placebo-controlled trial of intravenous corticosteroid in adults with head injury-outcomes at 6 months. Lancet. 2005 Jun 4-10;365(9475):1957-9. PMID: 15936423

Urology

• Roos NP, Wennberg JE, Malenka DJ, et al. Mortality and reoperation after open and transurethral resection of the prostate for benign prostatic hyperplasia. N. Engl J Med. 1989;320:1120-1124 PMID: 2469015

Women’s health

• International randomised controlled trial of acetazolamide and furosemide in posthaemorrhagic ventricular dilatation in infancy. International PHVD Drug Trial Group. Lancet. 1998 Aug 8;352(9126):433-40. PMID: 9708751
• Routine vs selective episiotomy: a randomised controlled trial. Argentine Episiotomy Trial Collaborative Group. Lancet. 1993 Dec 18-25;342(8886-8887):1517-8. PMID: 7902901
• Klein MC, Gauthier RJ, Jorgensen SH, Robbins JM, Kaczorowski J, Johnson B, Corriveau M, Westreich R, Waghorn K, Gelfand MM, et al. Does episiotomy prevent perineal trauma and pelvic floor relaxation? [published erratum appears in Online J Curr Clin Trials 1992 Sep 12;Doc No 20:[54 words; 1 paragraphs]. Online J Curr Clin Trials. 1992 Jul 1;Doc No 10:[6019 words; 65 paragraphs]. PMID: 1343606
• Chalmers TC. The impact of controlled trials on the practice of medicine. Mt Sinai J Med 1974;41:753-759 PMID: 4547818
• ACTOBAT Study Group. Australian collaborative trial of antenatal thyrotropin-releasing hormone (ACTOBAT) for prevention of neonatal respiratory disease Lancet, 1995; 345:877-882. PMID: 7707809
• Lucas MJ, Leveno KJ, Cunningham FG. A comparison of magnesium sulfate with phenytoin for the prevention of eclampsia. N Eng J Med 1995 Jul 27; 333(4):201-5 PMID: 7791836
• Czeizel E, Dudas I. [Prevention of the first occurrence of anencephaly and spina bifida with periconceptional multivitamin supplementation]. Orv Hetil 1994;135:2313-7 PMID: 7970646
• Hulley S, Grady D, Bush T, Furberg C, Herrington D, Riggs B, Vittinghoff E. Randomized Trial of Estrogen Plus Progestin for Secondary Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease in Postmenopausal Women. JAMA 1998: 280(7); 605-613. PMID: 9718051
• Writing Group for the Women’s Health Initiative Investigators. Risks and Benefits of Estrogen Plus Progestin in Healthy Postmenopausal Women. JAMA 2002;288:321-333. PMID: 12117397 (and full text)

Other

• Ransohoff DF, Feinstein AR. Problems of spectrum and bias in evaluating the efficacy of diagnostic tests. N Engl J Med 1978: 299(17); 926-30 PMID: 692598
• Rosa L, Rosa E, Sarner L, Barrett S. A close look at therapeutic touch. JAMA 1998: 279(13); 1005-10 PMID: 9533499
• Is the placebo powerless? An analysis of clinical trials comparing placebo with no treatment. Hrobjartsson A, Gotzsche PC. N Engl J Med 2001: 344(21); 1594-602 PMID: 11372012
• Ioannidis J, Cappelleri J, Lau J. Issues in Comparisons between Meta-analyses and Large Trials. JAMA 2002: 279(14); 1089-93. PMID: 9546568
• Stelfox HT, Chua G, O. Rourke K, Detsky AS.Conflict of interest in the debate over calcium-channel antagonists. N Engl J Med 1998: 338(2); 101-6 PMID: 9420342
• Monto AS. The disappearance of Reye’s syndrome–a public health triumph. N Engl J Med 1999: 340(18); 1423-4. PMID: 10228195 
• Ioannidis JPA, 2005 Why Most Published Research Findings Are False. PLoS Med 2(8). PMID: 16060722 (and full text)
• Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group (November 1992). Evidence-based medicine. A new approach to teaching the practice of medicine. JAMA 268 (17): 2420–5. PMID: 1404801 (and full text)

Contributors
@rostrevorrose, Professor Gareth Jones, @mikey3982, TrustTheEvidence, Steve Simon, Justus Krabshuis, Ben Djulbegovic, David R. Rovner, Pablo Alonso, Carlos Cuello

What has TRIP got to do with Somalia? 

The truth is very little.  However, at the start of this month we secured the domain name evidently.so (really http://www.evidently.so – but don’t click there as there’s nothing to see just yet). The .so domain is the country code extension for Somalia.  I purchased it on a whim, I had no idea we’d get it or what we’d use it for.  I just liked the phrase – it fits in with the ‘evidence’ concept and is an easy to remember name.

But we’ve got it and the more I reflect on it the more pleased I am with it.  I think it’s got all the potential to be a strong brand.

As for what to do with it, I’m currently thinking it might be a good home for our ‘new evidence’ service – which is currently just a vague concept. One to ponder, but if you have any suggestions?