The over emphasis on the primacy of the RCT in the hierarchy of evidence and decision making has long been debated. Many HCPs recognise that real world data also provides valuable evidence, as the heterogeneity and variability in wound care outcomes mean that these studies may provide realistic and relevant measures on dressings performance

The increase in supported self-management during the COVID-19 pandemic highlight that both the patient’s and clinicians views should be considered and reflected. There is also increased acknowledgement from leading Health Technology Assessment (HTA) bodies such as NICE of the need to use real-world data to resolve gaps in knowledge and drive forward access to innovations for patients.

Members of both the Surgical Device Dressing Manufacturers Association( SDMA) and the Association of British HealthTech Industries (ABHI) are delighted to share the results of an audit conducted in 2020  collating the level of evidence for wound dressings published in peer reviewed articles between 2014 and 2020. The evidence is summarised in an infographic which can be found here.

The SDMA/ABHI calls for discussion between Health Technology Assessment bodies, the NWCSP, Wound Care practitioners and industry to arrive at an agreed level of evidence to help guide best clinical practice to support existing and future innovation adoption across the wound care arena.
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