System and method for reducing the placebo effect in controlled clinical trials
A method and system for performing a clinical trial having a reduced placebo effect is disclosed. The method includes randomizing study participants into three or more treatment groups and performing a first phase of testing on the groups. In a typical embodiment, the first phase of testing includes administering an active treatment to a first group, and administering a placebo to a second group and to a third group. Responders and non-responders are determined for each group. A second phase of testing is then performed. The second phase of testing includes administering the placebo to non-responders in the first group, administering the active treatment to non-responders in the second group, and administering the placebo to non-responders in the third group. The data from the first phase of testing and from the second phase of testing is pooled and analyzed to determine response rates to active treatment and placebo.
1. A method of performing a clinical trial comprising:
performing a first phase of testing comprising:
randomizing participants into a first plurality of treatment groups including a first active treatment group and a first placebo group;
administering the first active treatment group with an active treatment;
administering the first placebo group with a placebo;
analyzing the participants for response;
sorting the participants, based upon the analyzing the participants for response step, by creating a first non-responders to active treatment group, a first responders to active treatment group, a first non-responders to placebo group, and a first responders to placebo group;
creating a non-responder group comprising a combination of one or more members from the first non-responders to active treatment group and one or more members from the first non-responders to placebo group;
performing a second phase of testing comprising:
randomizing one or more members of the non-responder group into a second active treatment group and a second placebo group;
administering the second active treatment group with the active treatment;
administering the second placebo group with the placebo;
analyzing the randomized one or more members of the non-responder group for response;
analyzing, using a processor, the efficacy of the active treatment by;
analyzing a response rate of the first phase of testing based on a number of participants in the first responders to active treatment group and a number of participants in the first responders to placebo group;
analyzing a response rate of the second phase of testing based on a number of participants in the second active treatment group, determined based on said analyzing the randomized one or more members of the non-responder group for response step, and a number of participants in the second placebo group, also determined based on said analyzing the randomized one or more members of the non-responder group for response step;
applying a first weighting factor to the response rate of the first phase of testing;
applying a second weighting factor to the response rate of the second phase of testing;
wherein the summation of the first and second weighting factor equals a constant; and
determining the efficacy of active treatment based on a combination of the result of the step of applying a first weighting factor to the response rate of the first phase of testing and the result of the step of applying a second weighting factor to the response rate of the second phase of testing.
2. A method as in claim 1 , wherein analyzing a response rate of the first phase of testing based on a number of participants in the first responders to active treatment group and a number of participants in the first responders to placebo group further comprises:
analyzing a number of participants in the first non-responders to active treatment group and a number of participants in the first non-responders to placebo group.
3. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the active treatment comprises one or more active treatments.
4. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the response of one or more members of the first non-responders to placebo group is included in analyzing the efficacy of the active treatment once in analyzing a response rate of the first phase of testing and once in analyzing a response rate of the second phase of testing.
5. A method as in claim 1 , wherein analyzing a response rate of the second phase of testing consists of analyzing a response rate for one or more members determined to be in the first non-responders to placebo group.
6. A computer system for analyzing clinical data resulting from performing a first phase of testing comprising: (a) randomizing participants into a first plurality of treatment groups including a first active treatment group and a first placebo group; (b) administering the first active treatment group with an active treatment; (c) administering the first placebo group with a placebo; (d) analyzing the participants for response; (e) sorting the participants, based upon the analyzing the participants for response step, by creating a first non-responders to active treatment group, a first responders to active treatment group, a first non-responders to placebo group, and a first responders to placebo group; (f) creating a non-responder group comprising a combination of one or more members from the first non-responders to active treatment group and one or more members from the first non-responders to placebo group; (g) performing a second phase of testing comprising: (h) randomizing one or more members of the non-responder group into a second active treatment group and a second placebo group; (i) administering the second active treatment group with the active treatment; (j) administering the second placebo group with the placebo; and (k) analyzing the randomized one or more members of the non-responder group for response; said system comprising:
a first processor that analyzes the efficacy of the active treatment by analyzing a response rate of the first phase of testing based on a number of participants in the first responders to active treatment group and a number of participants in the first responders to placebo group;
a second processor that analyzes a response rate of the second phase of testing based on a number of participants in the second active treatment group, determined based on said analyzing the randomized one or more members of the non-responder group for response step, and a number of participants in the second placebo group, also determined based on said analyzing the randomized one or more members of the non-responder group for response step;
a third processor that applies a first weighting factor to the response rate of the first phase of testing;
a fourth processor that applies a second weighting factor to the response rate of the second phase of testing;
wherein the summation of the first and second weighting factor equals a constant; and
a fifth processor that determines the efficacy of active treatment based on a combination of the result of the step of applying a first weighting factor to the response rate of the first phase of testing and the result of the step of applying a second weighting factor to the response rate of the second phase of testing;
wherein said first, second, third, fourth, and fifth processors may be the same processor, separate processors, or a combination thereof.
7. A computer system as in claim 6 , wherein analyzing a response rate of the first phase of testing based on a number of participants in the first responders to active treatment group and a number of participants in the first responders to placebo group further comprises:
analyzing a number of participants in the first non-responders to active treatment group and a number of participants in the first non-responders to placebo group.
8. A computer system as in claim 6 , wherein the active treatment comprises one or more active treatments.
9. A computer system as in claim 6 , wherein the response of one or more members of the first non-responders to placebo group is included in analyzing the efficacy of the active treatment once in analyzing a response rate of the first phase of testing and once in analyzing a response rate of the second phase of testing.
10. A computer system as in claim 6 , wherein analyzing a response rate of the second phase of testing consists of analyzing a response rate for one or more members determined to be in the first non-responders to placebo group.
11. A computer readable non-transitory storage medium storing software for analyzing clinical data resulting from performing a first phase of testing comprising: (a) randomizing participants into a first plurality of treatment groups including a first active treatment group and a first placebo group; (b) administering the first active treatment group with an active treatment; (c) administering the first placebo group with a placebo; (d) analyzing the participants for response; (e) sorting the participants, based upon the analyzing the participants for response step, by creating a first non-responders to active treatment group, a first responders to active treatment group, a first non-responders to placebo group, and a first responders to placebo group; (f) creating a non-responder group comprising a combination of one or more members from the first non-responders to active treatment group and one or more members from the first non-responders to placebo group; (g) performing a second phase of testing comprising: (h) randomizing one or more members of the non-responder group into a second active treatment group and a second placebo group; (i) administering the second active treatment group with the active treatment; (j) administering the second placebo group with the placebo; and (k) analyzing the randomized one or more members of the non-responder group for response; said software comprising:
software that analyzes the efficacy of the active treatment by analyzing a response rate of the first phase of testing based on a number of participants in the first responders to active treatment group and a number of participants in the first responders to placebo group;
software that analyzes a response rate of the second phase of testing based on a number of participants in the second active treatment group, determined based on said analyzing the randomized one or more members of the non-responder group for response step, and a number of participants in the second placebo group, also determined based on said analyzing the randomized one or more members of the non-responder group for response step;
software that applies a first weighting factor to the response rate of the first phase of testing;
software that applies a second weighting factor to the response rate of the second phase of testing;
wherein the summation of the first and second weighting factor equals a constant; and
software that determines the efficacy of active treatment based on a combination of the result of the step of applying a first weighting factor to the response rate of the first phase of testing and the result of the step of applying a second weighting factor to the response rate of the second phase of testing.
12. A computer readable non-transitory storage medium as in claim 11 , wherein analyzing a response rate of the first phase of testing based on a number of participants in the first responders to active treatment group and a number of participants in the first responders to placebo group further comprises:
analyzing a number of participants in the first non-responders to active treatment group and a number of participants in the first non-responders to placebo group.
13. A computer readable non-transitory storage medium as in claim 11 , wherein the active treatment comprises one or more active treatments.
14. A computer readable non-transitory storage medium as in claim 11 , wherein the response of one or more members of the first non-responders to placebo group is included in analyzing the efficacy of the active treatment once in analyzing a response rate of the first phase of testing and once in analyzing a response rate of the second phase of testing.
15. A computer readable non-transitory storage medium as in claim 11 , wherein analyzing a response rate of the second phase of testing consists of analyzing a response rate for one or more members determined to be in the first non-responders to placebo group.