Towards better decision making in growth hormone therapy.

Controlled clinical trials are not always possible or warranted. Other sources of data include observational studies, meta-analyses, expert opinions, subjective judgements, and mathematical/statistical models developed from large databases. Decision analysis is presented as a preferred methodology for analysis in situations of uncertainty, in combination with cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analyses. Special emphasis is given to quality-of-life considerations in growth hormone (GH) therapy and ways to measure it and express patient preferences.