How do you compare a medicine with an operation without talking nonsense?

Shared dimensions only

The universal engine uses eight dimensions that can sensibly apply across categories: weight-loss potential, speed, lower medical burden, reversibility, lower cost/access burden, maintenance simplicity, evidence maturity and convenience.

Category-specific dimensions stay category-specific

Reflux belongs in bariatric procedure comparison. Needle-free administration belongs in medication comparison. GHIC/EHIC belongs in medical-travel comparison. These are shown in the detail table instead of being forced into a universal score.

No overall winner

We do not assign numerical treatment scores or calculate an overall winner. Different people value different dimensions, and some clinical considerations cannot be reduced to preference at all.

Normalisation

We do not map treatments, access routes and countries onto a shared numerical scale. A location or funding route does not itself cause weight loss; compare the actual treatment and care pathway.

Personalisation

Use your priorities to prepare questions about costs, treatment burden, reversibility and follow-up. The comparison does not select a preferred treatment from a saved profile.

Decision Readiness

Use the Decision Readiness tool separately to identify questions you still need answered. Readiness is not clinical suitability.

Source inheritance

The universal centre inherits the evidence and caveats documented in the Medication, Surgery, Lifestyle, NHS vs Private and UK vs Europe methodology pages. It does not replace them.

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