'Research' versus 'real-world' patients: representativeness of participants in clinical trials of treatments for cocaine dependence

Citation
Km. Carroll et al., 'Research' versus 'real-world' patients: representativeness of participants in clinical trials of treatments for cocaine dependence, DRUG AL DEP, 54(2), 1999, pp. 171-177
Citations number
19
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Article
Categorie Soggetti
Neurosciences & Behavoir
Journal title
DRUG AND ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE
ISSN journal
0376-8716 → ACNP
Volume
54
Issue
2
Year of publication
1999
Pages
171 - 177
Database
ISI
SICI code
0376-8716(19990401)54:2<171:'V'PRO>2.0.ZU;2-8
Abstract
Rigorous clinical trials have been criticized as having limited external va lidity, and specifically that subjects participating in clinical trials are not representative of individuals seen in clinical practice. To assess the representativeness of subjects participating in clinical trials, 243 resea rch subjects participating in clinical trials of treatments for cocaine dep endence were compared to a sub-sample of 213 individuals being treated for cocaine dependence in outpatient clinical settings from a large national da tabase. The data suggest that research findings are not invariably based on less challenging patients with mild forms of substance dependence and rela ted problems; moreover research patients may be similar to, if not more sev ere than, individuals with cocaine problems seen in regular clinical settin gs in the community. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. Al l rights reserved.