The Mayan Doomsday’s effect on survival outcomes in clinical trials

This is brilliant

There is a great deal of speculation concerning the end of the world in December 2012, coinciding with the end of the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar (the “Maya calendar”). Such an event would undoubtedly affect population survival and, thus, survival outcomes in clinical trials. Here, we discuss how the outcomes of clinical trials may be affected by the extinction of all mankind and recommend appropriate changes to their conduct. In addition, we use computer modelling to show the effect of the apocalypse on a sample clinical trial.

CMAJ "article"

Well worth a few minutes of your time for such snippets as:

Survival curves for the overall population with and without the occurrence of Mayan doomsday. MaD = Mayan doomsday. Note heretofore unforeseen postapocalyptic zombie repopulation.

S&F for giving me a good giggle. Those Canadians have a great sense of humour

Seriously? They could not have come up with a better name for a drug than Horribilum. That is awesome!!

Very funny article.

reply to post by chiefsmom


Right you are, but it was planted in our psyche by Queen Lizzie what with her 'annis horribilis' being repeated ad nauseum ever since she patented, um copyrighted the phrase. I would therefore suspect that there is something further to this. The royals are probably sponsoring the clinical trials. Sounds properly MaD.