On the incorrect use of Carlisle's method for dichotomous variables

Abstract

In 2017, J. B. Carlisle has proposed a method for fraud detection in randomized controlled trials based on a comparison of reported baseline data between treatment groups. While Carlisle has only used the method for continuous variables, some authors have recently employed a naive adaption of the method for dichotomous variables. We explain why such adaptation leads to p-values that are wrong by orders of magnitude and we make a simple concrete proposal for correction of the method.