Investors, analysts, doctors, and even patients face an avalanche of news from biotech companies about their human trials of experimental drugs, and wading through all that data to draw reasonable conclusions is a challenging task. This week, STAT has published a 2023 update of its Guide to Interpreting Clinical Trial Results, which can help consumers of company readouts navigate the process.
The update offers new examples to illustrate the terms, metrics, and numerous red flags included in the original 2020 report, which was authored by senior biotech writer Adam Feuerstein and the late Sharon Begley, who was STAT’s senior science writer until her death in 2021. The new version retains “all the lessons and pithy advice” of the original report, writes clinical trials expert and physician Frank David in his introduction, noting that they are “more useful than ever today.”
Updating the report was a solo assignment for Adam. We asked him about some of the key elements of the report, as well as about the genesis of the original report and the experience of working with Sharon on it.
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