Common Pitfalls in the Conduct of Clinical Research

Recently, paradigm shift from expert opinion towards evidence-based medicine has occurred encouraging physicians to base their treatment decisions on the best available research evidence. In the hierarchy of evidence randomized clinical trials (level 1 evidence) are considered of the highest quality (least biased) while non-randomized studies represent lower levels (levels 2–4). Several pitfalls in the design and conduct of clinical research include: lack of randomization, lack of concealment, lack of blinding, and errors in hypothesis testing (type I and II errors). A basic understanding of these principles of research will empower both investigators and readers when applying the results of research to clinical practice.

Common Pitfalls in the Conduct of Clinical Research Journal Articles