Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials

Meta-analysis (MA) may loosely be defined as the explicit analysis and summary of multiple investigations or studies. Being such, it offers the potential to reach the goal of keeping up to date in the drug research and development process without sacrificing thoroughness. Theoretically, meta-analysis can effectively summarize the accumulated research on a topic, promote new questions on the matter, as well as channel the stream of clinical research toward relevant horizons. Consequently, meta-analyses can be very important in the drug research and development process—from initial consideration of a new drug through the conduct of Phase III studies to possible removal of a drug.