The Biggest Secret in Medicine: Relative vs Absolute Risk | Understanding Medical Research

A drug advertised as cutting heart attack risk by 36 percent may help one patient in a hundred, and both numbers are true. This video covers relative risk, absolute risk difference, and number needed to treat. Chapters: 00:00 Goals and two slot machines 01:32 Population effects versus individual effects 02:25 Lipitor and the 36 percent claim 03:17 Death during triathlons 04:28 Absolute risk difference versus relative risk 05:56 Number needed to treat 06:58 Aspirin, CT scans, and what counts as worth it 08:14 The biggest secret in medicine 09:57 Take-home points Learning objectives: After watching, you'll be able to: - Distinguish relative risk from absolute risk difference in a drug claim - Calculate number needed to treat from an absolute risk difference - Weigh a treatment's cost and side effects against its number needed to treat 📺 Watch the full playlist on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLh9mgdi4rNewVyTec_MVGxIbNSEeMhEsZ 🎓 Enroll on Coursera for assessments and a certificate: https://www.coursera.org/learn/medical-research 🌐 Explore more learning opportunities on Yale Online: https://online.yale.edu/courses/understanding-medical-research-your-facebook-friend-wrong