Equivalence and non-inferiority trials are divided into two major objective-based categories according to their goals. Which pair describes these categories?

• A. Trials to Show Superiority
• B. Trials to Show Dose-response Relationship
• C. Trials to Show Equivalence
• D. Equivalence trials and Non-inferiority trials

Answer: (D)

The key idea is the objective you’re trying to prove when comparing a new treatment to a standard. If you aim to show the new therapy is essentially the same as the standard within a small, pre-set margin, you’re conducting an equivalence trial. If you aim to show the new therapy is not worse than the standard by more than a pre-set margin, you’re conducting a non-inferiority trial. These are the two main objective-based categories used when the goal is to compare a new intervention with an established one. The other options describe different aims (for example, proving one is better, or focusing on dose-response) and aren’t the two categories described here. So, the pair that describes these categories is equivalence trials and non-inferiority trials.