The prospect of data-based medicine in the light of ECPC.

A new effort in medical information has gathered and organized data from randomized clinical trials and other sources in obstetrics and made them available in several forms. This accomplishment implies the possibility of data-based medical practice that depends on systematic organization of medical findings. Possible limitations in data-based medical practice are treated and the benefits of such an approach are discussed. Will it be possible and useful to generalize this obstetric effort to all of medicine, and, if so, how? With the establishment of the Cochrane Centre, the United Kingdom has launched a program directed toward this end. New ideas for disseminating the gathered information are needed. Funding for core support will be needed both to create the medicine-wide information and to maintain it.