MULTIPLE DECISION PROCEDURE IN CLINICAL-TRIALS

In some multiple treatment arm clinical trials there is an order of pr eference for the treatments based on secondary considerations like tox icity or cost. In this paper, we consider the case where two or more t reatments could have equal prior preference. This formulation includes the problem of comparing several equally preferred experimental treat ments to one control, or the comparison of a combination with its comp onents. Our decision procedures will guarantee a high selection probab ility for the correct treatment(s) when that selection is appropriate. We establish sample size requirements for our decision procedures whi ch can be applied to clinical trials with normal, binomial, or right c ensored exponential endpoints.