I.S. Wright and associates did a clinical trial on the effect ofanticoagulant th

Question

I.S. Wright and associates did a clinical trial on the effect ofanticoagulant therapy for coronary heart disease. Eligible patientswho were admitted to participating hospitals on odd days of themonth were given the therapy; eligible patients on even days werethe controls. In total, there were 580 patients in the therapygroup and 442 controls. An observer says, Since the odd-even assignment to treatment or control is objectiveand impartial, it's just as good as tossing a coin. Do you agree? Explain briefly. (Assume trial was done in a monthwith 30 days)
I think I would disagree with the observer (it seems like there area lot more controls than people who were given treatment..) but I'mnot sure.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Since the odd-even assignment to treatment or control is objectiveand impartial, it's just as good as tossing a coin. Do you agree? Explain briefly. (Assume trial was done in a monthwith 30 days)
I think I would disagree with the observer (it seems like there area lot more controls than people who were given treatment..) but I'mnot sure.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Explanation / Answer

I disagree with the observer. If you toss a coineveryone has a 50% chance of receiving treatment no matter if it'san even or odd day. However, if you walk into the clinic onan even day, there is a 100% chance you will not receivetreatment.

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