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Behind closed doors: The data monitoring board in randomized clinical trials
Author(s) -
Wittes Janet
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
statistics in medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.996
H-Index - 183
eISSN - 1097-0258
pISSN - 0277-6715
DOI - 10.1002/sim.4780120504
Subject(s) - randomized controlled trial , data monitoring committee , protocol (science) , safety monitoring , clinical trial , continuation , doors , computer science , medicine , data mining , medical physics , alternative medicine , surgery , bioinformatics , pathology , programming language , biology , operating system
Many randomized clinical trials include a data and safety monitoring board (DSMB) that is responsible for reviewing accruing data, monitoring performance of the trial, assuring safety of the participants in the trial, and assessing the efficacy of treatment. The DSMB often makes recommendations about continuation of the trial or alteration of the protocol. Although such boards are very influential in both the conduct and interpretation of randomized clinical trials, there is no standard mode in which DSMBs operate nor do they routinely report publicly about their deliberations. This paper describes the composition of DSMBs as well as their functions. It concludes with a series of questions that needs to be addressed to ensure that the DSMBs operate effectively.