Bayesian Equivalence Testing and Meta-Analysis in Two-Arm Trials with Binary Data

Cynthia Kpekpena, Saman Muthukumarana

Abstract: We consider a Bayesian approach for assessing hypotheses of equivalence in two-arm trials with binary Data. We discuss the development of likelihood, the prior, and the posterior distributions of parameters of interest. We then examine the suitability of a normal approximation to the posterior distribution obtained via a Taylor series expansion. The Bayesian inference is carried out using Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods. We illustrate the methods using actual data arising from two-arm clinical trials on preventing mortality after myocardial infarction.