Treatment success in pragmatic randomised controlled trials: a review of trials funded by the UK Health Technology Assessment programme.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Previous research reviewed treatment success and whether the collective uncertainty principle is met in RCTs in the US National Cancer Institute portfolio. This paper classifies clinical trials funded by the UK HTA programme by results using the method applied to the US Cancer Institute trials, and compares the two portfolios.

Methods

Data on all completed randomised controlled trials funded by the HTA programme 1993-2008 were extracted. Each trial's primary results was classified into six categories; 1) statistically significant in favour of the new treatment, 2) statistically significant in favour of the control treatment 3) true negative, 4) truly inconclusive, 5) inconclusive in favour of new treatment or 6) inconclusive in favour of control treatment. Trials

SUBMITTER: Dent L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3113983 | biostudies-literature | 2011 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature