RAFT

Lead Investigator

Professor Alan Montgomery

Professor of Medical Statistics and Clincal Trials

University of Nottingham

Funder

Medical Research Council (MRC) - Methodology Research Panel

Summary

Factorial trials, in which two or more interventions are simultaneously evaluated, have specific design and analysis considerations not covered by standard SPIRIT and CONSORT statements. Reviews show that the reporting quality of factorial trials is often poor.

The RAFT (Reporting Factorial Trials) study will develop SPIRIT (Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials) and CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) extensions for the reporting of factorial trials.

All rounds of the survey are now complete. We would like to thank everyone for their support.

Factorial trials

Factorial trials guidance

Factorial trials, in their simplest form (2x2), are when two interventions (A and B) are tested. For example, participants are randomised to receive: no intervention, A alone, B alone or both A and B.

Factorial trials offer an efficient method to evaluate multiple interventions without increasing the sample size, provided the treatments work independently. The focus of the RAFT study is on factorial designs which aim to efficiently assess multiple interventions in a single trial.

Some keyword definitions that are frequently used in factorial trials can be found here.