It seems to me reasonable to look for evidence of benefit or harm in certain biologically plausible subgroups, even though the statistical basis for this evidence is not compelling. It is ludicrous and economically mad that we have to treat 1000 patients to benefit six because our trial methodology cannot cope. An intelligent review of subgroups would allow this ratio to be much more reasonable. Desmond G Julian, Debate: A subversive view of subsets - a dissident clinician’s opinion. Curr Control Trials Cardiovasc Med 2000: 1(1); 28-30. [Medline] [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]
You can find an earlier version of this page on my original website.