Decision-making is often a complex and hard-to-routinize process. Based on the decision-making experience of fighting COVID-19, policymakers have gradually realized that climate action, quality education, and other societal challenges, as well as the sustainable development goals (SDGs) need to be addressed with the best available evidence using an evidence-informed decision-making (EIDM) approach. The Global Commission on Evidence was established in 2021. In addition, the Evidence Commission issued reports in 2022 and 2023. A systematic methodology to address societal challenges with EIDM has been constructed in the report. Five types of domestic evidence (data analytics, evaluation, modeling, qualitative insights, and behavioural/implementation research) and four steps in decision-making process (understanding a problem and its causes, selecting an option for addressing the problem, identifying implementation considerations, and monitoring implementation and evaluating impacts) were used to support four types of decision-makers (government policymakers, organizational leaders, professionals and citizens) in EIDM, as demonstrated by the reports. To further disseminate the concept and methodology of EIDM globally, the secretariat works with 25 Evidence Commissioners to write the report, and continues to cooperate with Country Leads Group from 12 countries to conduct rapid evidence-support system assessments (RESSAs), and collaborates with Evidence Commission Implementation Council to accelerate the implementation of 24 recommendations. The main history, core methodology, and latest developments of the Global Committee on Evidence were systematically reviewed in this paper. We aimed to show decision-makers a new version of how to scientifically address the societal challenges of EIDM.
As the global health crisis erupts, there is an unprecedented focus on evidence across all sectors, becoming a critical trigger for changing research plans, development, synthesis, implementation, and evidence-informed decision-making. The establishment of the Global Commission on Evidence and the publication of two reports further emphasize the significance of evidence-informed decision-making in addressing social challenges. With the dissemination and development of evidence-based social science, there is a need to continually improve the ecosystem from evidence to decision and provide rigorous methods and approaches for different decision-makers to address social challenges. This article aims to interpret the Evidence Commission Report and explain the demand and supply of evidence, global public goods, and eight most-important Evidence Commission recommendations that can be used to address most social challenges. It also presents the key issues and insights that the evidence-based social science ecosystem faces from evidence to decision-making, putting evidence at the center of everyday work and life.
Objective To retrospectively analyze data of 4 377 victims during 2 weeks after Min-Zhang earthquake (Richter scale: 6.6), to provide references for decision-making of earthquake medical rescue. Methods We collected data of the wounded during two weeks after the earthquake, analyzed injuries and general rescue in hospital, input the data into Excel, and analyzed the data using SPSS 11.0. Descriptive analysis was conducted. Results As of 14 days after the earthquake, a total of 4 377 victims had been treated, including 858 hospitalized and 194 seriously-injured. The victims were from Min county, Zhang county, Dangchang county, and Li county. 145 injured people had been transferred to 10 municipal hospitals in Gansu province. Mental health centre of Gansu province had conducted psychological intervention among more than thousands of person-times. Disease control and prevention institutions in Dingxi city started severe natural disaster contingency planning 2 hours after earthquake, stipulated and improved the post-quake disease control technology plan, and dispatched quickly anti-epidemic emergency teams to complete tasks that included disposal of carcasses, monitoring water quality and epidemics, disinfecting environmental ruins, epidemic control in resettled areas, and large-scale health education. Conclusion The headquarter, in charge of medical relief and anti-epidemic work in the stricken areas of Min county and Zhang county, integrated resources, made overall command and quick response, and accomplished the phased tasks including anti-quake work, medical relief and anti-epidemic work, which replenished valuable data and experience.
Objective To retrospectively analyze medical rescue during Min-Zhang earthquake. Methods Medical rescue data reported from cities and counties in Gansu province were summarized in the earthquake relief and medical rescue headquarter of Gansu province. They were input into a database using Excel software. Descriptive analysis was conducted using SPSS 17.0. Results After the earthquake, Gansu Heath System quickly responded to the situations and started the contingency plan for earthquake, while patches of medical rescue teams were sent to the stricken areas. As of 14 days after the earthquake, 4 377 victims were treated in medical institutions of each levels. Hospital infection was comprehensively in control and psychological intervention was conducted among the target population. Conclusion The emergency response of Gansu Heath System was quick, effective, and well organized. Facing extraordinary disaster, Gansu province smoothly accomplished the tasks of earthquake relief and medical rescue at the initial stage.
Technology in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which has a long history, provides excellent traditional culture and valuable spiritual wealth in China. TCM standardization technology will provide an important basis for guiding and evaluating the professional level and service quality of technicians in TCM. And it is also conducive to the sustainable development of TCM technology. However, at present, there is no relevant research on the development process of technical specifications for TCM. So, the urgent need is how to develop standardized technical specifications, and apply them to patients in practice. Therefore, this study first convened relevant experts, including TCM clinical experts, epidemiologists, methodology experts, etc., to form the core expert group, implementation group and quality assurance task group. According to the personnel functions, they are divided into technical specification steering committee, consensus expert group, secretariat group, external review group, evidence evaluation group, etc. Then, the initial entries are collected by systematically searching the current TCM technical guidelines, consensus and specifications and referring to the existing technical specifications. Finally, expert opinions were collected based on the Delphi survey, and the final reporting checklist of technical specifications for TCM was formed after consensus discussion. The study can provide evidence-based methodological guidance for the development of TCM technical specifications, and promote the standardization and internationalization of TCM technical specifications.