Outcome switching

Outcome switching or outcome swapping is when authors of a clinical trial "move the goal posts" during a trial, which may be done to achieve the desired results.

The PACE trial authors, in a clinical trial of ME/CFS patients undergoing GET/CBT, employed this tactic.

Articles on Outcome switching in clinical trials

 * How Outcome Switching is Corrupting Medical Research
 * For my next trick...
 * Is Outcome Switching Still A Problem In Clinical Trials?
 * How researchers dupe the public with a sneaky practice called "outcome switching"

Tracking outcome switching


 * compare-trials.org

PACE trial

 * In 2016, Julie Rehmeyer gave the talk Bad Statistics, Bad Reporting, Bad Impact on Patients: The Story of the PACE Trial Slideshow given at the 2016 Joint Statistics Meetings (Notes may be be viewed by clicking the “Notes” icon just above the comments section in the slideshow link.)


 * David Tuller spoke about and answered questions on the PACE trial and its flaws.


 * Feb 28, 2016, David Tuller gave a speech with Q&As.


 * Feb 27, 2016, An Interview with David Tuller, held at The Forgotten Plague Conference, discussing the flaws of the Pace trial.


 * PACE trial - Release of Data

Learn more

 * Open data
 * Open access
 * Peer-review