Clinical decision-making based on findings presented in conference abstracts: is it safe for our patients?

Research findings presented in scientific conferences have a considerable direct and indirect impact on decision-making of clinicians. Investigators in various fields of research have examined the possible differences in aims, results, and conclusions between conference abstracts and subsequent corresponding published papers. They documented that differences between data presented in conference abstracts and published papers are frequent and occasionally major. These findings strongly support the position that we should not hurry to incorporate in clinical decision-making data presented at international or national scientific conferences. Instead, we believe that we better serve our patients by waiting at least for the evaluation of potential scientific advances by rigorous peer review.