Alienating evidence based medicine vs. innovative medical device marketing: A report on the evidence debate at a Wounds conference

Wound care management is one of the largest segments of the UK medical technology sector with a turnover exceeding £1bn in 2009 (BIS, 2010). Using data derived from participant observation, this article examines the antagonistic relationship expressed by wound care clinicians towards evidence based medicine in the context of the 2010 United Kingdom (UK) Wounds UK conference/trade show, where evidence based medicine is positioned in opposition to clinical knowledge, as an obstacle to innovation and as a remover of solutions rather than a provider of them. The article is written in the context of the trend towards increasing marketization and privatization in the UK National Health Service (NHS).