The Centre for Evidence and Values in Healthcare

The Centre for Evidence and Values in Healthcare was established at the University of St Andrews’ School of Medicine, aiming to help people make better decisions in healthcare.

It was founded in 2025 by Dr Margaret McCartney, GP and Senior Lecturer at the University of St Andrews, with Professor Frank Sullivan (School of Medicine) Professor Kevin Orr (School of Business) and Dr Joe Millum (Department of Philosophy).

The reason

The Centre for Evidence and Values in Healthcare works to understand and improve how evidence in healthcare is sought, created, used, described and applied, and considers the values that underpin these actions. It brings people together – from healthcare professionals and academics to patients and policymakers – to discuss ways to improve healthcare quality, safety and sustainability.

The research

The Centre’s research focuses on the everyday practices of health professionals and broader systemic issues such as conflicts of interest, commercial influences, and the communication of risks and benefits.

Colleagues at St Andrews are investigating how to address conflicts of interest beyond transparency alone and are developing tools and educational resources to help patients and professionals navigate these challenges more effectively. We know that conflicts of interest make healthcare more expensive, less safe, and of poorer quality. We are developing ways to make differences that lead to real world improvements.

Support the Centre

The Centre for Evidence and Values in Healthcare is funded by the Della Fish Foundation and aims to become a self-sustaining centre.

More information about the Centre for Evidence and Values in Healthcare.

Donations are welcomed to support the work of the Centre and can be made below. Unfortunately, we cannot accept donations from commercial organisations.