Clark;
I have tremendous respect for your statistical knowledge and offer thanks to the bio-gods that knowledge of your depth graces public boards for the rest of our benefits. However, in the first case you argued a cost-driven consideration to explain the small placebo side, and in the second sheer bull-headedness and stupidity on the part of those who (in this case) designed this RPRX trial.
As to the lack of randomized p II trials in cancer research... I'd see that in the more cynical light of being more driven by the desire to get lucky by not asking too much of the phase II's, get to p III, re-fi and keep those fat checks coming in for a few more years at least... None of which I believe to be the case with RPRX... that is, neither greed, pound-foolish frugality, nor bull-headedness. This might actually be that rarity of a trial, as straight-forwards as Deowphile suggests it is, and as the data and experience would indicate that it is.
as always, thanks for all your observations
S
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