Reduction Alternatives
Historical data
Use of historical control data as a reduction strategy can be appropriate in situations where similar
experiments are performed repeatedly in the same laboratory. However, since so many factors can
contribute to variability, contemporary controls are necessary for most experiments.
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses are other ways to use historical data as part of a reduction
strategy, and are regularly used to analyze clinical research data generated from clinical trials
in humans. A systematic review is the identification and synthesis of all the available research
literature addressing a specific (narrowly focused) research question, using a systematic approach.
Meta-analysis is a statistical method used to combine the numerical results from the individual
studies included in a systematic review.
(This section was adapted from the NC3Rs)
For more information on use of historical data, the following resources may be useful:
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