Evidence-based medicine has the potential to offer objectivity and standardized practices into an often subjective decision-making process.

The theme editor introduces a special issue examining ethical considerations in standards of care in medicine.

Clinical judgment and experience often trump evidence-based practice guidelines in physicians' medical decision-making process.

Medical standards of care and legal standards of reliability and relevance sometimes conflict in courtroom settings.

Standards of care in medicine have gone through many changes and developments over the course of its history.

Physicians should use evidence-based guidelines as a starting point to make sound clinical treatment decisions for a patient's individual medical needs.