* Reflects the numerous advances in clinical trial methodology * Provides a comphensive ,step by step guide to the design of randomized clinical trials * Effectively illustrated with examples from the literature and case studies .

Preface. 1 Introduction. 1.1 Introduction. 1.2 Some completed trials. 1.3 Choice of design. 1.4 Practical constraints. 1.5 Influencing clinical practice. 1.6 History. 1.7 How trials arise. 1.8 Ethical considerations. 1.9 Regulatory requirements. 1.10 Focus. 1.11 Further reading. 2 Design Features. 2.1 Introduction. 2.2 The research question. 2.3 Patient selection. 2.4 The consent process. 2.5 Choice of interventions. 2.6 Choice of design. 2.7 Assigning the interventions. 2.8 Making the assessments. 2.9 Analysis and reporting. 2.10 Technical details. 2.11 Guidelines. 2.12 Further reading. 3 The Trial Protocol. 3.1 Introduction. 3.2 Protocol abstract. 3.3 Protocol background. 3.4 Protocol research objectives. 3.5 Protocol design. 3.6 Protocol intervention details. 3.7 Protocol eligibility. 3.8 Protocol randomization. 3.9 Protocol assessment and data collection. 3.10 Protocol statistical considerations. 3.11 Protocol ethical issues. 3.12 Protocol organizational structure. 3.13 Protocol publication policy. 3.14 Protocol trial forms. 3.15 Protocol appendices. 3.16 Regulatory requirements. 3.17 Guidelines. 3.18 Protocols. 4 Measurement and Data Capture. 4.1 Introduction. 4.2 Measures and endpoints. 4.3 Making the observations. 4.4 Baseline measures. 4.5 Types of measures. 4.6 Data recording. 4.7 Technical notes. 4.8 Guidelines. 5 Randomization. 5.1 Introduction. 5.2 Rationale. 5.3 Mechanics. 5.4 Application. 5.5 Carrying out randomization. 5.6 Documentation. 5.7 Unacceptable methods. 5.8 Software. 5.9 Guidelines. 6 Trial Initiation. 6.1 Introduction. 6.2 Trial organization. 6.3 Data collection and processing. 6.4 Data monitoring. 6.5 Ethical and regulatory requirements. 6.6 Launching the trial. 6.7 Trial registries. 6.8 Guidelines. 7 Trial Conduct. 7.1 Introduction. 7.2 Regular feedback. 7.3 Publicity. 7.4 Data monitoring committees. 7.5 Protocol modifications. 7.6 Preparing the publication(s). 7.7 The next trial? 7.8 Protocols. 8 Basics of Analysis. 8.1 Introduction. 8.2 Confidence intervals. 8.3 Statistical tests. 8.4 Examples of analysis. 8.5 Other issues. 8.6 Practice. 8.7 Technical details. 9 Trial Size. 9.1 Introduction. 9.2 Significance level and power. 9.3 The fundamental equation. 9.4 Specific situations. 9.5 Practical considerations. 9.6 Further topics. 9.7 Other methods and software. 9.8 Guideline. 10 Reporting. 10.1 Introduction. 10.2 Publication guidelines. 10.3 Responsibilities. 10.4 Background. 10.5 Methods. 10.6 Findings. 10.7 When things go wrong. 10.8 Conclusions. 10.9 Guidelines. 11 Adaptations of the Basic Design. 11.1 Introduction. 11.2 Repeated measures. 11.3 Cluster-randomized trials. 11.4 Non-inferiority trials. 11.5 Guidelines. 12 Paired Designs. 12.1 Cross-over trials. 12.2 Split-mouth designs. 12.3 Paired organs. 13 More Than Two Interventions. 13.1 Introduction. 13.2 Unstructured comparisons. 13.3 Comparisons with placebo (or standard). 13.4 Dose response designs. 13.5 Factorial trials. 14 Further Topics. 14.1 Introduction. 14.2 Adaptive approaches. 14.3 Large simple trials. 14.4 Bayesian methods. 14.5 Zelen randomized-consent designs. 14.6 Systematic overviews. 14.7 Conclusion. Statistical Tables. Glossary. References. Index.

" Randomized Clinical Trials: Design, Practice and Reporting is a solid introduction for clinical research investigators." ( The Journal of Clinical Research Best Practices, February 2011) " Randomized Clinical Trials aims to bring bang up to date all the recent major developments in the important field of clinical trial methodology and statistics. A supremely important subject to all of us, this is surely a more worthy new year investment than that month s supply of dandelion liver flush tonic." ( Health Writer, Autumn 2009)