What is Bayesian statistics?
Bayesian statistics is a statistical theory and approach to data analysis that provides a coherent method for learning from evidence as it accumulates. Traditional (frequentist) statistical methods formally use prior information only in the design of a clinical trial. In the data analysis stage, prior information is considered only informally, as a complement to, but not part of the analysis. In contrast, the Bayesian approach uses a consistent, mathematically formal method called Bayes’ Theorem for combining prior information with current information on a quantity of interest. This is done throughout both the design and analysis stages of a trial.
