Economic evaluation of factorial trials

Whereas the majority of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) compare two interventions, factorial RCTs evaluate two or more treatments (or treatment regimens) and combinations thereof in the same study. Factorial trials are becoming increasingly common, although no previous research has yet been conducted to identify how economic evaluations of factorial RCTs should be conducted.

For her DPhil, Helen Dakin researched the different methods for analysing economic data from factorial trials and developed guidance for the conduct economic evaluations on such trials. Her research covered several examples of economic evaluations based on factorial RCTs, including IVAN, KAT and AFORRD.

The thesis was submitted in March 2014. Papers from the thesis were discussed at Health Economists' Study Group (HESG) meetings in Cork, Ireland (June 2010), Oxford (June 2012), Exeter (January 2013) and Sheffield (January 2014).

Publications

Economic evaluation of factorial randomised controlled trials: challenges, methods and recommendations.

Dakin, H and Gray, AM, (2017), Statistics in Medicine