This fundamental conversation is given a fresh perspective during one of the stand out moments of the recent Evidence Based Perioperative Medicine (EBPOM) Dingle conference. How do we define evidence in the era of big data? Can we further improve the speed at which we do trials and yet still gather reliable data? In the wake of COVID-19 what new innovations can be made to how we trial and test vital medical help?

Chaired by Ramani Moonesinghe, OBE, Professor of Perioperative Medicine at University College London, Consultant in Anaesthetics and Critical Care Medicine at UCL Hospitals, this piece features; Mark Edwards, Consultant in Anaesthesia & Perioperative Medicine, University Hospital Southampton, Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer, University of Southampton, Mike Grocott, Professor of Anaesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, University of Southampton and Matt Wilson, Anesthetist, UCL Hospitals and University College London and a PhD candidate.