A drug company has conducted a superiority trial with three arms: a new lipid-lowering agent, A vs. an existing drug, B, vs. placebo. The difference between A and B is not significantly different so the marketing department plans to advertise that A is equally efficacious as B. Is the marketing claim valid?

A. The claim is valid since both drugs have been shown to be superior to placebo and not different from each other.

B. It may not be valid if the sample size is less than whatwould have been required for a non-inferiority trial.

C. If the results of the study are published in a peer-reviewed journal, it is surely a valid claim.

D.Since the company had a vested interest in the outcome, the claim is invalid until an independent study produces the same results .