RANDOMISED CONTROLLED TRIALS

Randomised Controlled Trials

Randomised Controlled Trials

Introduction

Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that stop earlier than planned because of apparent benefit often receive great attention and affect clinical practice. Their prevalence, the magnitude and plausibility of their treatment effects, and the extent to which they report information about how investigators decided to stop early are, however, unknown.

Analysis

When randomized clinical trials (RCTs) identify larger than expected treatment effects, investigators may conclude, before completing the trial as planned, that one treatment is superior to the other. Such trials often receive considerable attention. For example, consider the impact on current practice of published ...