Nextblockbuster,

Well, I think we would all be absolutely devastated if the DSMB pulled the plug on BETonMACE at the first scheduled futility analysis at 125 MACE events. This first scheduled futility analysis should happen sometime in the next several months, as discussed in this previous post. My point is that even if the DSMB recommends that BETonMACE continue as is with no changes at this first scheduled futility analysis, that this does not guarantee that the trial will not be terminated at a subsequent DSMB review. Some of those CETP inhibitor trials that I cited exemplify this: passed mid-point futility analysis but terminated due to futility at a later DSMB review.

Thanks for re-posting the DSMB-related IV post from F6. I enjoyed those articles and found them to be very educational about the history and challenges that DSMB face.

BDAZ