Debate

A developing country response to Lavery et al. "In global health research, is it legitimate to stop clinical trials early on account of their opportunity costs?"

Douglas R Wassenaar^1,2 and Gita Ramjee³

¹Biomedical Research Ethics Committee, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa

²South African Research Ethics Training Initiative (SARETI), University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

³HIV Prevention Research Unit, Medical Research Council, Durban, South Africa

author email corresponding author email

BMC Medical Ethics 2009, 10:16doi:10.1186/1472-6939-10-16

Published:	30 September 2009

Abstract

Background

A recent paper presents an argument and mechanism for the possible stopping of clinical trials early based on opportunity costs.

Discussion

Although we agree that the costs and opportunity costs of clinical trials need to be reduced wherever possible, we raise concerns about the motivation and mechanism for stopping clinical trials early raised by Lavery et al.

Summary

We argue that there are already enough acceptable criteria and actors in the clinical trials arena to justify early stoppage of clinical trials, and argue that factors other than efficacy need to be carefully considered, especially in developing country contexts.