External monitoring of a data coordinating center: experience of the National Cooperative Gallstone Study.
A Biostatistical Monitoring Committee was established to review periodically the procedures and performance of the data coordinating center of the National Cooperative Gallstone Study. The functions of this committee, the types of data coordinating center activities reviewed, the manner in which monitoring of these activities was carried out, and an assessment of the value of this committee to the study are discussed in this article.
D002635:Chenodeoxycholic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003199:Computer Systems; D006801:Humans; D011786:Quality Control; D011897:Random Allocation
D002635:Chenodeoxycholic Acid