What if there is no research on something?

Author: SCIRE Community Team | Reviewer: Janice Eng | Published: 24 April 2017 | Updated: 23 February 2024

Due to the limitations described above, many of the questions we have about treatments cannot be answered through research alone. Research is just one of many forms of evidence. Expert opinion, clinical consensus, and lived experience all have an important place in interpreting research evidence and making decisions when no high-quality research has been done.

Expert opinion is a view or statement on a topic from an expert in the given field, based on clinical experiences or reasoning using foundational medical principles.

Clinical consensus statements are written documents that include the recommendations of an organized group of experts on clinical issues.

Friends and family may be a valuable source of health information.¹¹

Lived experience is the knowledge a person gains from direct, first-hand experience. There is value in understanding the impact and meaning of direct experiences for the development of research and treatments. Views of the same experience vary based on the person, their unique experience, and their environment.

Other sources of health information may include:

• Traditional or common practices
• Your personal experiences and reasoning
• The opinions and experiences of your family and friends