In the Bradford Hill criteria for causation, the criterion that an observed association makes biological sense given current knowledge of pathophysiology is called:
- A Coherence
- B Analogy
- C Experimental evidence
- D Biological plausibility ✓
Explanation
Biological plausibility in Bradford Hill's criteria means the association is consistent with known biological or pathophysiological mechanisms. Coherence means the association does not conflict with the natural history of the disease or existing biological knowledge — it overlaps with plausibility but is subtly different (coherence = no contradiction; plausibility = positive support from mechanisms). Analogy is the weakest criterion, noting similar cause-effect patterns for analogous exposures. Experimental evidence refers to the epidemiological experiment (removal of exposure reduces disease).
Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
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