title: Multiple comparisons in over-the-counter drug clinical trials with both positive and placebo controls.
abstract: Evaluations of the efficacy of over-the-counter drugs using ANOVA techniques often misuse multiple comparison procedures. Studies that involve both a placebo control and established drugs as positive controls are especially prone to these problems. The most common mistake involves using a procedure which does not control the experimentwise type I error rate, usually the Duncan procedure or some version of multiple t tests. These procedures control comparisonwise type I error rate, but lack the important experimentwise error control. The purpose of this paper is to clarify the issues involved in performing ANOVA followed by a multiple comparison procedure for over-the-counter drug studies involving both placebo and positive controls.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics, Boston University, MA 02215.
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: D'Agostino
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Heeren
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015982:Bias; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic / Q000379:methods; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010919:Placebos; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods; D012107:Research Design; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D004366:Nonprescription Drugs; D010919:Placebos