Evidence-based medicine: Introduction for clinically working

In Germany, the ten "evidence-based medicine" still leads to confusion. To our continental understanding "evidence" refers to the self-evident, what is obvious and unequivocally clear without any methodological mediation. In English speaking countries, "evidence" is defined as available and disputable facts indicating whether or not a proposition is valid. In clinical medicine both types of evidence me indispensable. However at present "external (i.e. anglosaxon) evidence" from sound-evaluative clinical research is actually needed to define and justify clinical indication rules. The rationale of the concept is obviously consequentialistic, it primarily considers the clinical and community effectiveness of any medical intervention. The paper finally discusses some of the ethical problems involved in evidence-based medicine.