Why no serious researchers conduct "per protocol" analyses
Numbers Rule Your World 2022-10-26
Summary:
All observational data must be adjusted in order to correct biases. But our science teems with irresponsible statistical adjustments - throwing a bunch of variables into a regression model, and declaring that all known biases have been satisfactorily resolved is all too common. In the medical literature, publishing one's adjustment model is rarely done. I don't trust any adjusted models unless the researcher discloses the equations, the coefficients and goodness of fit statistics. Even better, the researcher should compare the adjusted to unadjusted results, note how the adjustments affected the outcome, and explain why these adjustments make sense. Handwaving about...