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Small Clinical Trials Issues and Challenges (2001) / Chapter Skim
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4 General Guidelines
Pages 91-93

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From page 91...
... Throughout the report the committee has pointed out that, whenever possible, large and adequately powered randomized clinical trials are the method of choice. The committee has also noted that in some cases such studies are impractical or impossible to conduct and that one must derive inferences from less rigorously controlled studies with less statistical power.
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From page 92...
... Bayesian methods underlie many of the methods described here, including prediction, meta-analysis, and hierarchical models. Among these, ranking and selection allow one to arrive at a statistically optimal solution with a modicum of subjective inputs; however, decision analysis often allows
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From page 93...
... Finally, the committee has also presented risk-based allocation as a useful tool for research with small numbers of participants. This method is quite different from the others but can be useful for those cases in which it may be unethical to withhold treatment from a high-risk population by randomly assigning them to a control group.
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Key Terms

  • decision analysis
  • statistical prediction
  • randomized clinical
  • control measurements
  • clinical trials

  • bayesian methods
  • experimental measurements
  • hierarchical model
  • estimated parameters
  • including sequential

  • basic guidance
  • statistically optimal
  • prediction strategies
  • committee provides
  • particular intervention

  • clusters contain
  • standard errors
  • adequately powered
  • derive inferences
  • including prediction

  • methods underlie
  • common environment
  • selection allow
  • bayesian analysis
  • treatment conditions

  • powered randomized
  • rigorously controlled
  • controlled studies
  • subjective inputs
  • crossover study


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