TY - JOUR
T1 - Comparison of Bayesian with group sequential methods for monitoring clinical trials
AU - Freedman, Laurence S.
AU - Spiegelhalter, David J.
PY - 1989/12
Y1 - 1989/12
N2 - We describe some problems with applying methods based on classical sequential analysis to monitoring clinical trials. A Bayesian method is developed and the boundaries are compared with frequentist schemes. For the examples chosen, the Bayesian boundaries can be quite similar to those obtained from Pocock and O'Brien and Fleming (OBF) rules, depending on the choice of prior distribution. They converge less rapidly than OBF's but more rapidly than Pocock's. In general the Bayesian methods provide the same desirable features as frequentist methods, without sacrificing flexibility and simplicity of interpretation.
AB - We describe some problems with applying methods based on classical sequential analysis to monitoring clinical trials. A Bayesian method is developed and the boundaries are compared with frequentist schemes. For the examples chosen, the Bayesian boundaries can be quite similar to those obtained from Pocock and O'Brien and Fleming (OBF) rules, depending on the choice of prior distribution. They converge less rapidly than OBF's but more rapidly than Pocock's. In general the Bayesian methods provide the same desirable features as frequentist methods, without sacrificing flexibility and simplicity of interpretation.
KW - Bayesian methods
KW - Clinical trials
KW - sequential methods
KW - stopping rules
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0024842564&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/0197-2456(89)90001-9
DO - 10.1016/0197-2456(89)90001-9
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C2 - 2691203
AN - SCOPUS:0024842564
SN - 0197-2456
VL - 10
SP - 357
EP - 367
JO - Controlled Clinical Trials
JF - Controlled Clinical Trials
IS - 4
ER -