Interpretations and Conclusions in the Clinical Trial

Interpreting the results of a clinical trial and reaching conclusions are matters of assessing the integrity of the trial’s design and methods and the validity of the findings and drawing inferences to make conclusions that will guide health care decisions; these decisions are the ultimate goal of the clinical trial. This article examines 5 clinical trials of atypical antipsychotic agents with particular attention to aspects of their validity and refers to other articles in this supplement when appropriate. Finally, the Behavioral Health Care Enterprise Model, designed to help systematize the process of drawing inferences and implications from these and other clinical trials and assessing their impact on various sectors of the health care system, is introduced.