'1994 Sir Muir Gray, who was then director of NHS Research and Development for Anglia and Oxford Regional Health Authority, set about to develop an evidence based medicine movement in the UK. Using a startup grant from the R&D scheme he invited David Sackett, a physician, teacher and pioneer of modern day evidence based medicine, to Oxford to found the first of several centres around the country. David Sackett was appointed by the Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, as a Professor of Clinical Epidemiology. He also practiced as an Honorary NHS Consultant in General Medicine.
By 1995 the Centre for Evidence Based Medicine was established in Oxford. The initial “Centre” consisted of two offices run out of the John Radcliffe Hospital and consisted of a team of four people: Professor David L Sackett (Director of the Centre), Mr Douglas Badenoch (Programme Manager for Education and Communication), Mrs Olive Goddard (Centre Co-ordinator and Editorial Assistant) and Miss Caroline Hinton (Secretary to the Centre). The broad aim was to promote evidence-based health care and provide support and resources to anyone who wants to make use of them.
The Centre started building a network of tutors locally and across the world that shared the philosophy of CEBM. Many of the members of this network are world leaders in the speciality and include: Prof. Doug Altman, Dr Amanda Burls, Sir Iain Chalmers, Prof Michael Clarke, Sir Rory Collins, Prof Martin Dawes, Sir Tim Peto, Sir Richard Peto, Prof Jon Deeks, Prof Brian Haynes, Prof Rod Jackson, Prof Ann McPherson, Prof Sharon Strauss and Prof Pat Yudkin. /..