Why evidence-based medicine still matters in veterinary practice

Evidence-based medicine is getting fresh attention in veterinary circles after SkeptVet published a December 2025 essay arguing that the profession still needs a clearer, more disciplined understanding of what evidence-based medicine actually is, and why it matters. In the piece, veterinarian Brennen McKenzie frames evidence-based medicine as the integration of controlled research evidence, clinical expertise, and client values, not a rejection of clinical judgment. He uses the history of infant sleep advice in human medicine to show how tradition, anecdote, and authority can delay course correction even after better evidence emerges. That framing aligns closely with established definitions from RCVS Knowledge, which describes evidence-based veterinary medicine as combining clinical expertise with the best available scientific evidence while accounting for patient and pet parent circumstances. (skeptvet.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, this is more than a philosophical debate. Evidence-based veterinary medicine offers a practical structure for sorting reliable information from marketing claims, social media misinformation, and long-held habits that may not hold up under scrutiny. RCVS Knowledge says EBVM helps teams identify, appraise, and apply high-quality information, and specifically notes its value in evaluating treatment approaches and marketing material. A recent commentary in Veterinary Evidence also argues that EBVM has become embedded in academic, regulatory, and clinical settings over the past two decades, even as the field continues to debate how best to apply it to individual patients. (rcvsknowledge.org)

What to watch: Expect this conversation to keep surfacing wherever veterinary medicine collides with misinformation, “integrative” care claims, and pressure to justify recommendations with clearer evidence standards. (skeptvet.com)