Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32143728›Full record

ArticleTrials2020

How can health economics be used in the design and analysis of adaptive clinical trials? A qualitative analysis.

Laura Flight, Steven Julious, Alan Brennan, Susan Todd, Daniel Hind

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Trials, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. A Pragmatic Bayesian Adaptive Trial Design Based on the Value of Information: The Value-Driven Adaptive Design.Medical decision making : an international journal of the Society for Medical Decision Making · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Review
  7. Article
  8. Expected Value of Sample Information to Guide the Design of Group Sequential Clinical Trials.Medical decision making : an international journal of the Society for Medical Decision Making · 2022
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Laura FlightSchool of Health And Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK. l.flight@sheffield.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9569-8290
Steven JuliousSchool of Health And Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
Alan BrennanSchool of Health And Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
Susan ToddDepartment of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Reading, Reading, UK.
Daniel HindSchool of Health And Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.

Funding

Department of Health DRF-2015-08-013Research Trainees Coordinating Centre DRF-2015-08-013
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionAdaptive designs offer a flexible approach, allowing changes to a trial based on examinations of the data as it progresses. Adaptive clinical trials are becoming a popular choice, as the prudent use of finite research budgets and accurate decision-making are priorities for healthcare providers around the world. The methods of health economics, which aim to maximise the health gained for money spent, could be incorporated into the design and analysis of adaptive clinical trials to make them more efficient. We aimed to understand the perspectives of stakeholders in health technology assessments to inform recommendations for the use of health economics in adaptive clinical trials.

methodsA qualitative study explored the attitudes of key stakeholders-including researchers, decision-makers and members of the public-towards the use of health economics in the design and analysis of adaptive clinical trials. Data were collected using interviews and focus groups (29 participants). A framework analysis was used to identify themes in the transcripts.

resultsIt was considered that answering the clinical research question should be the priority in a clinical trial, notwithstanding the importance of cost-effectiveness for decision-making. Concerns raised by participants included handling the volatile nature of cost data at interim analyses; implementing this approach in global trials; resourcing adaptive trials which are designed and adapted based on health economic outcomes; and training stakeholders in these methods so that they can be implemented and appropriately interpreted.

conclusionThe use of health economics in the design and analysis of adaptive clinical trials has the potential to increase the efficiency of health technology assessments worldwide. Recommendations are made concerning the development of methods allowing the use of health economics in adaptive clinical trials, and suggestions are given to facilitate their implementation in practice.

Indexed as

Research PersonnelAdaptive Clinical Trials as TopicAdultCost-Benefit AnalysisFemaleFocus GroupsHumansInterviews as TopicMaleMiddle AgedModels, EconometricQualitative ResearchTechnology Assessment, BiomedicalUnited KingdomAdaptive designCost-effectivenessHealth economicsRecommendationsValue of information

Identifiers

PMID32143728
PMCPMC7060544

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.