Clinical evidence for Japanese population based on prospective studies--linking clinical trials and clinical practice.

"Evidence-based medicine (EBM)" implies effective and high quality practice for patients based on well-grounded medical science. The success of clinical trials in Japan is essential to build original evidence specific for Japanese patients. Based on this concept, we have performed several large-scale clinical trials to provide EBM, including the Japanese Antiplatelets Myocardial Infarction Study [JAMIS; clinical improvement in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients with antiplatelet therapy], the Japanese beta-Blockers and Calcium Antagonists Myocardial Infarction (JBCMI; comparison of the effects of beta-blockers and calcium antagonists on cardiovascular events in post-AMI patients), a multicenter study for aggressive lipid-lowering strategy by HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors in patients with AMI (MUSASHI; effects of statin therapy on cardiovascular events in patients with AMI), and the Japanese Primary Prevention of Atherosclerosis with Aspirin for Diabetes (JPAD trial; efficacy of low-dose aspirin therapy for primary prevention of atherosclerotic events in type 2 diabetic patients). The results of these prospective studies were directly linked with clinical practice. We have acquired the know-how of large-scale clinical trials; an important point is to have passion for "buildup evidence specific for the Japanese" and to recruit subjects for enrollment after explaining the significance of "clinical trials for the Japanese".