In clinical medicine appropriate statistics has become indispensable to evaluate
treatment effects. Randomized controlled trials are currently the only trials that
truly provide evidence-based medicine. Evidence based medicine has become
crucial to optimal treatment of patients. We can define randomized controlled trials
by using Christopher J. Bulpitt’s definition “a carefully and ethically designed
experiment which includes the provision of adequate and appropriate controls by a
process of randomization, so that precisely framed questions can be answered”. The
answers given by randomized controlled trials constitute at present the way how
patients should be clinically managed. In the setup of such randomized trial one of
the most important issues is the statistical basis. The randomized trial will never
work when the statistical grounds and analyses have not been clearly defined
beforehand. All endpoints should be clearly defined in order to perform appropriate
power calculations. Based on these power calculations the exact number of
available patients can be calculated in order to have a sufficient quantity of
individuals to have the predefined questions answered. Therefore, every clinical
physician should be capable to understand the statistical basis of well performed
clinical trials. It is therefore a great pleasure that Drs. T.J. Cleophas, A.H.
Zwinderman, and T.F. Cleophas have published a book on statistical analysis of
clinical trials. The book entitled “Statistics Applied to Clinical Trials” is clearly
written and makes complex issues in statistical analysis transparant. Apart from
providing the classical issues in statistical analysis, the authors also address novel
issues such as interim analyses, sequential analyses, and meta-analyses. The book is
composed of 18 chapters, which are nicely structured. The authors have deepened
our insight in the applications of statistical analysis of clinical trials. We would like
to congratulate the editors on this achievement and hope that many readers will
enjoy reading this intriguing book.