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  • Title: Effect of investigator bias on clinical trials.
    Author: Smith EB.
    Journal: Arch Dermatol; 1989 Feb; 125(2):216-8. PubMed ID: 2913958.
    Abstract:
    Two clinical trials were performed to determine the relative efficacy of tioconazole, a new antifungal agent for treating patients with tinea pedis. One study compared the new agent with a placebo cream and the other with miconazole nitrate, an established effective antifungal agent. The investigators found a much higher "cure" rate for tioconazole when both treatment groups were known to receive active agents than the cure rate for tioconazole found in the placebo-controlled study. These results showed that the expectations of investigators can influence their clinical evaluations. Such bias could also influence the results of clinical trials.
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