Pediatricians Primed for EBM Practice

More and more medical societies are  taking up the value and relevance of evidence-based medicine in clinical practice following its introduction in the country in the early 1990s.

Among them is the Philippine Ambulatory Pediatric Association whose recent annual convention focused on EBM use to help its members keep in step with the latest trend in dealing with their young patients.

     Dr. Leonila Dans talked on The Use of EBM in Pediatric Practice: Evaluating Evidence on Diagnostics, Therapeutics, and Prognosis. She  showed the four basic skills necessary for EBM practice: searching for medical evidence, appraising the evidence, integrating evidence from various sources, and applying the evidence to answer clinical questions.

     By searching and studying available publications, researches and case studies relevant to a particular patient’s case, a doctor may find a more suitable way of managing specific conditions. Dr. Dans, however, counseled doctors to be careful in appraising which among the researches are applicable to their clinical needs.

     Meanwhile, Dr. Clara Reyes-Rivera batted for wider use of BCG vaccines notwithstanding questions being raised against their efficacy. 

     While noting that the BCG vaccine requires improvement to suit varying needs, she stressed that it should continue to be used especially in areas with high prevalence of tuberculosis.

     She explained that the efficacy of the vaccine depends on such factors as tuberculin status of subjects, genetic differences in population, nutritional differences, methodology of use, variations in strains of M. tuberculosis, and intensity of dose.

     Other lectures dealt on Recurrent Abdominal Pain by Dr. Fernando Gatcheco, Febrile Seizure: Role of Prophylaxis by Dr. Marilyn Ortiz, Pain Management in Newborn and Infants and NSAIDs and Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors in Infants and Young Children by Dr. Jacob Aranda, Otitis Media by Dr. Jose Acuin.

     PAPA elected a new set of officers composed of Dr. Ramon Arcadio, president; Dr. Jocelyn Yambao-Franco, vice president; Dr. Michael Resurreccion, secretary; Dr. Lisa Santos, treasurer; and Dr. Eileen Cuajungco, auditor. The board members are Drs. Joselyn Eusebio, Nilda Etorma, Olga Formoso, Florianne Valdes, Ma. Jocelyn Quidlat, and Benjamin Sablan.  

Anna Barbara Lorenzo