[walkerbrown]

> will eventually be shown to be superior to the current standard of care, in which case it would become the standard of care

How does this overturning occur? Do care providers agitate for change? Or is it typically a response to headstrong patients and families?

[Someone]

It starts with researchers convincing their ethical review board that they should be given the opportunity to experiment with the different approach.

That’s why new procedures almost always are done on patients who are as good as dead (gene editing to change one’s hair color won’t soon get past ethical review, for example, but if gene editing gets used in mainstream medicine, enough data may be collected to make a review board say it’s acceptable to give it a try)

The first experiments typically only prove the medicine or procedure works. Long term survival of the patient the exception. From there, it’s step by step towards treating healthier and healthier patients.

If it turns out the approach is better for the typical patient, patient groups (who may even have paid for part of the research) start lobbying for its use. If the new procedure is both better and cheaper, insurers also will lobby for it.