Male infertility treatment in the light of evidence-based medicine.

A new scientific paradigm in medicine has emerged over the last decades, summarized under the term of 'evidence-based medicine'. It emphasizes that therapies derived from pathophysiological concepts must be confirmed and therapeutic decisions be backed by a systematic clinical observation. Since the quality of data revealed and the evidence for conclusion will depend upon the design of the study, general principles concerning randomized, controlled clinical fertility trials will be described as the hallmark of high-quality studies. Therapies for male infertility will be discussed in terms of the studies they are based on, and to what extent the paradigm of evidence-based medicine has entered the field of andrology will be has entered the field of andrology will be considered critically.