Management and conduct of randomized controlled trials.
In preparing to undertake a clinical trial, it may be helpful to keep in mind Fredrickson's description of clinical trials (31): "Field trials are indispensable. They will continue to be an ordeal. They lack glamour, they strain our resources and patience, and they protract the moment of truth to excruciating limits. Still, they are among the most challenging tests of our skills. I have no doubt that when the problem is well chosen, the study is appropriately designed, and that when all the populations concerned are made aware of the route and the goal, the reward can be commensurate with the effort. If, in major medical dilemmas, the alternative is to pay the costs of perpetual uncertainty, have we really any choice?"
Maryland Medical Research Institute, 600 Wyndhurst Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21210, USA. gknatterud@mmri.org
Genell L
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Knatterud
D015982:Bias; D003625:Data Collection / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012107:Research Design / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data