Which of the following Bradford Hill criteria is the ONLY one that, if present, is considered SUFFICIENT on its own to infer causality?
- A Strength of association
- B Specificity
- C Experiment (reversibility) ✓
- D Coherence
Correct answer: C. Experiment (reversibility)
Explanation
The experiment criterion (also called reversibility) — demonstrating that removing the cause reduces or eliminates the effect — is considered the strongest evidence for causality among Bradford Hill's criteria and the only one that, if demonstrated by a properly controlled experiment, is sufficient on its own to establish causality. No single observational criterion is individually sufficient; strength of association, specificity, and coherence all support but do not alone confirm causation.
Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
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