All that glisters is not gold.(Papers)(analysis of the validity of the "gold standard" in health research)

The "gold standard" is a pervasive metaphor in health research. Whether it is an argument about establishing a standard for quality of care or a debate about the relative merits of diagnostic investigations, the term is universally used to describe the best care, the best test, or the most certain medical knowledge. A Medline search on the phrase produces 7891 results.

But is it a good metaphor? The gold standard refers to currencies that are tied to the value of gold, as was the case in developed countries in the 19th century. This is in contrast to flat currency, the modern form of money, which is not linked to the value of any commodity. Over history the value of …