Key words: Forensic medicine; forensic epidemiology; evidence-based practice; causal inference

"Evidence-Based Practice In Forensic Medicine: From Inference To Performance"

The process of expert opinion formulation and reporting in forensic medicine is typically not based on evidence-based practice (EBP) principles. The result is expert opinions that are less scientifically reliable and thereby more easily contested, which in turn can lead to erroneous (and unjust) legal decisions. This thesis has two main goals. The first goal was to develop a new approach to evaluate medicolegal causality (‘the INFERENCE (INtegration of Forensic Epidemiology and the Rigorous EvaluatioN of Causation Elements) approach’) to aid experts in formulating EBP-based opinions in medicolegal cases. Additionally, a new set of recommendations on reporting in forensic pathology named the PERFORM-P (Principles of Evidence-based Reporting in FORensic Medicine-Pathology version) was also developed. The PERFORM-P serves to provide forensic medical practitioners with recommendations on how to produce forensic pathology reports that are consistent with EBP principles. By using INFERENCE and PERFORM-P, forensic medical practitioners can produce expert opinions that are more reliable, transparent, accountable, and more helpful in legal proceedings.

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