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A new ‘biased coin design’ for the sequential allocation of two treatments
Author(s) -
Antognini Alessandro Baldi,
Giovagnoli Alessandra
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
journal of the royal statistical society: series c (applied statistics)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.205
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1467-9876
pISSN - 0035-9254
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-9876.2004.00436.x
Subject(s) - predictability , sequential analysis , selection (genetic algorithm) , computer science , design of experiments , sample size determination , randomization , randomized experiment , selection bias , sample (material) , mathematical optimization , statistics , mathematics , machine learning , randomized controlled trial , medicine , surgery , chemistry , chromatography
Summary. Efron's biased coin design is a well‐known randomization technique that helps to neutralize selection bias in sequential clinical trials for comparing treatments, while keeping the experiment fairly balanced. Extensions of the biased coin design have been proposed by several researchers who have focused mainly on the large sample properties of their designs. We modify Efron's procedure by introducing an adjustable biased coin design, which is more flexible than his. We compare it with other existing coin designs; in terms of balance and lack of predictability, its performance for small samples appears in many cases to be an improvement with respect to the other sequential randomized allocation procedures.