Clinical trials - Steven Piantadosi

A straightforward, authoritative review of basic statistical methods for clinical trials––an essential reference for physicians, biostatisticians, and students
Although there has been an explosion of literature on clinical trials in recent years, the demand for accessible coverage of statistical methods––the crucial building blocks of medical researchh––as remained unmet. As modern medicine advances toward defining a specialty in clinical research, Clinical Trials: A Methodologic Perspective responds to this pressing need. Steven Piantadosi's hands–on approach, embracing a number of different trial designs and clinical fields, guides readers through the process of planning an experiment, putting together a study cohort, assessing data, and reporting results, and addresses the problems that are likely to confront any such study.

Supplemented with a data disk, dozens of illustrations, a comprehensive bibliography, reference listings, and a subject index, this invaluable volume:

* Covers such vital design considerations as controlling bias and random error, allocating treatments, and making decisions about terminating a study
* Emphasizes experimental designs to search for treatment advances of great clinical importance but modest size relative to the variability and bias which characterize studies of human disease
* Focuses on concepts that unify all types of clinical trials
* Explores areas of controversy such as ethics and offers pragmatic information regarding allegations of fraud or misconduct
* Includes summaries and discussion questions in each chapter

Striking a balance between qualitative clinical and rigorous statistical methods, this unique resource provides professionals, researchers, and students alike with the statistical tools they need to design and conduct their own trials.