anecdotal evidence
anecdotal evidence
Evidence based on the occurrence of single unique event (e.g., a case report of an unusual medical finding or response to a therapy).Anecdotes are extremely weak support of a theory; even if the event itself has been verified, its occurrence may be inappropriately attributed to an unusual therapy, and other unrecognised factors (confounders) may have invalidated the initial prediction of demise. Multiple similar anecdotes do not significantly increase support and at best serve justify a scientific experiment to empirically test the theory.