NCJ Number
129501
Journal
Evaluation and Program Planning Volume: 13 Issue: 1 Dated: special issue (1990) Pages: 1-7
Date Published
1990
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This paper discusses factors influencing the quality of AIDS research findings and the need for evaluation criteria for the selection and admissibility of scientific evidence for policy making.
Abstract
Policy makers are under great pressure from various sources to do something about AIDS. However, available scientific information may not be sufficient, accurate, or relevant to justify policy development. Particularly relevant to this point are treatment availability and development issues. Evaluation criteria of quality need to be developed for clinical trials for drugs organized by community doctors as well as for the safety and immunogenicity of a candidate AIDS vaccine in an animal model prior to initiation of phase one safety and immunogenicity trials in humans. Scientists need to set responsible standards for peer review that will form part of the basis for policy with respect to criteria for internal validity, construct validity, and statistical conclusion validity. (Author abstract modified) 38 references