Book Description

Learn rigorous statistical methods to ensure valid clinical trials This Second Edition of the critically hailed Clinical Trials builds on the text's reputation as a straightforward and authoritative presentation of statistical methods for clinical trials. Readers are introduced to the fundamentals of design for various types of clinical trials and then skillfully guided through the complete process of planning the experiment, assembling a study cohort, assessing data, and reporting results. Throughout the process, the author alerts readers to problems that may arise during the course of the trial and provides commonsense solutions. The author bases the revisions and updates on his own classroom experience, as well as feedback from students, instructors, and medical and statistical professionals involved in clinical trials. The Second Edition greatly expands its coverage, ranging from statistical principles to controversial topics, including alternative medicine and ethics. At the same time, it offers more pragmatic advice for issues such as selecting outcomes, sample size, analysis, reporting, and handling allegations of misconduct. Readers familiar with the First Edition will discover completely new chapters, including: * Contexts for clinical trials * Statistical perspectives * Translational clinical trials * Dose-finding and dose-ranging designs Each chapter is accompanied by a summary to reinforce the key points. Revised discussion questions stimulate critical thinking and help readers understand how they can apply their newfound knowledge, and updated references are provided to direct readers to the most recent literature. This text distinguishes itself with its accessible and broad coverage of statistical design methods--the crucial building blocks of clinical trials and medical research. Readers learn to conduct clinical trials that produce valid qualitative results backed by rigorous statistical methods.