Key points of ethical review for non-inferiority clinical trials
10.12026/j.issn.1001-8565.2026.06.08
- VernacularTitle:非劣效性设计临床试验的伦理审查要点
- Author:
Fengping GAO
1
;
Weizhong ZHANG
2
Author Information
1. Department of Laboratory Medicine， Wuyunshan Hospital of Hangzhou/Hangzhou Institute for Health Promotion Research， Hangzhou 310008， China
2. Ethics Committee， Wuyunshan Hospital of Hangzhou /Hangzhou Institute for Health Promotion Research， Hangzhou 310008， China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
non-inferiority trials;
clinical trial;
ethical review
- From:
Chinese Medical Ethics
2026;39(6):754-761
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
The iteration speed of drug innovation and novel therapeutic methods has fallen far short of expectations. Scientists have gradually shifted their focus to drugs or treatments that exhibit efficacy comparable to standard therapies but with fewer side effects， greater convenience， or lower costs. The application scenarios of non-inferiority trials （NITs） are gradually increasing. Among these， the rationality of the potential benefits in secondary indicators served as a prerequisite for implementing NITs. Ethics committees should conduct a thorough review of major parameters such as thresholds， positive controls， and sample size， make an overall judgment on trial quality， fully interpret the statistical analysis of study results and non-inferiority conclusions， and rigorously review informed consent forms. Only in this way can the smooth conduct of clinical trials be ensured， enabling more drugs and treatments with clinical benefits to enter clinical practice， advancing the development of medical research， and ultimately safeguarding the rights and interests， along with the safety of research participants.
