Best available therapy (BAT)

The most appropriate or best available treatment based on current scientific evidence. Also known as standard of care (SOC).

In clinical trials, best available therapy is commonly used as the comparator against which new interventions are evaluated.

The Standard of Care: Legal History and Definitions: the Bad and Good News (West Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2011)

Placebo versus Best-Available-Therapy Control Group in Clinical Trials for Pharmacologic Therapies (Proceedings of the American Thoracic Society, 2007)

Considering Usual Medical Care in Clinical Trial Design (PL0S Medicine, 2009)