Date: 2017-03-24

Time: 15:30-16:30

Location: BURN 1205

Abstract:

Sample size determination problem is an important task in the planning of clinical trials. The problem may be formulated formally in statistical terms. The most frequently used methods are based on the required size, and power of the trial for a specified treatment effect. In contrast to the Bayesian decision-theoretic approach, there is no explicit balancing of the cost of a possible increase in the size of the trial against the benefit of the more accurate information which it would give. In this talk a fully Bayesian approach to the sample size determination problem is discussed. This approach treats the problem as a decision problem and employs a utility function to find the optimal sample size of a trial. Furthermore, we assume that a regulatory authority, which is deciding on whether or not to grant a licence to a new treatment, uses a frequentist approach. The optimal sample size for the trial is then found by maximising the expected net benefit, which is the expected benefit of subsequent use of the new treatment minus the cost of the trial.

Speaker

Hamid Pezeshk is a Professor from the School of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science University of Tehran and the School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences (IPM), Tehran.