Pioneer of evidence-based medicine named Canada’s top health scientist
A proud McMaster alumnus and longtime faculty member at the University, Dr. Gordon Guyatt (left) received the CIHR Health Researcher of the Year award during a ceremony in Ottawa Monday evening. Governor General David Johnston presented the award.
Dr. Gordon Guyatt, a professor in the Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, has been named the 2013 Canada Health Researcher of the Year.
The prestigious national award recognizes Dr. Guyatt’s instrumental role in changing how doctors practice medicine. It is presented by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), which oversees the federal research grant program in health.
Dr. Guyatt received the honour at the Canadian Health Research Awards, which took place Monday at Rideau Hall in Ottawa. The award was presented by David Johnston, Governor General of Canada.
Before Dr. Guyatt and a team of doctors at McMaster championed evidence-based medicine, physicians often misunderstood or disregarded the available evidence in their clinical decisions. Dr. Guyatt first coined the term “evidence based medicine” in 1990, and he has actively promoted the concept as a central part of the practice of medicine today.
“Dr. Guyatt’s leadership in developing evidence-based health care significantly improves patient care for all,” said John Kelton, dean and vice-president of the Faculty of Health Sciences. “His career is a true reflection of McMaster’s values of excellence, interdisciplinary collaboration and a commitment to our communities.”
Dr. Alain Beaudet, president of CIHR, said: “His work is helping to ensure that patients across the country, and around the world, benefit from the knowledge generated through health research.”
Dr. Guyatt graduated from McMaster’s medical school in 1977, and returned as a faculty member in 1983. Among his other honours, he is a Distinguished University Professor of McMaster; a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada; and an Officer of the Order of Canada. He has also won awards for teaching and mentoring. He is an active clinician in general internal medicine, for both Hamilton Health Sciences and St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton.
He has also led the way in developing the methodology for randomized trials and systematic reviews, and taken a leading role in more than 20 randomized trials, and published over 70 systematic reviews.
