Quality of Life and Pharmacoeconomics in Clinical Trials

Book excerpt: The Second Edition of this groundbreaking work refines the art and science of quality of life assessment and pharmacoeconomics and redefines the role of these evaluation parameters in clinical trials and health care decision-making. Dr. Spilker has assembled more than 200 experts from diverse clinical, research, and social science disciplines to provide a comprehensive reference on the methodology, interpretation, and use of quality of life and pharmacoeconomic studies. Expanded to four times its predecessor's size and scope, the Second Edition features: all-new sections on pharmacoeconomics and crucial health policy issues such as outcomes research a new, extensive section on cross-cultural and cross-national issues in quality of life assessment detailed information on specific tests and measures of quality of life comprehensive guidelines on choosing and administering tests and analyzing, interpreting, and presenting data many chapters on new topics such as phenomenology, assessment of spiritual status, and alternative/complementary medical treatments.