"A young woman cries, "Please don't let me die!" Has she received the best treatment? What is the best treatment? How do we know? Life-threatening disease prompts these questions in everyone. Which Medical Treatment is Best? Spoof or Proof explains the best scientific evidence for any treatment - the randomized controlled trial. This book begins with rotten humors as the source for all diseases. The reader is guided through serious attempts in history to treat disease, but which now seem amusing. The story ends with the randomized controlled trial and how to interpret it. The text will help students and clinicians understand this universal language of clinical research worldwide. Describes the development of the randomized, controlled trial as the gold standard of proof. Unravels the meaning of "randomized," "double-blind" and "p-values" in a simplified manner for students and clinicians. Contains timeless information on how medical evidence can be understood"--