# Contextual Constrained Learning for Dose-Finding Clinical Trials

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2001.02463 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2001.02463/

## Key facts

- Cited by 9 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 8 Jan 2020.

## Built on by (most cited first, 9 of 9)

- [Federated Multi-Armed Bandits](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2101.12204/) (2021)
- [Multi-disciplinary fairness considerations in machine learning for clinical trials](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2205.08875/) (2022)
- [SDF-Bayes: Cautious Optimism in Safe Dose-Finding Clinical Trials with Drug Combinations and Heterogeneous Patient Groups](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2101.10998/) (2021)
- [ESCADA: Efficient Safety and Context Aware Dose Allocation for Precision Medicine](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2111.13415/) (2021)
- [Towards Regulatory-Confirmed Adaptive Clinical Trials: Machine Learning Opportunities and Solutions](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2503.09226/) (2025)
- [Adaptive Experiment Design with Synthetic Controls](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2401.17205/) (2024)
- [Safe Linear Leveling Bandits](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2112.06728/) (2021)
- [Benefits of Monotonicity in Safe Exploration with Gaussian Processes](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2211.01561/) (2022)
- [Safety by Design: Realized-Cost Constraints for Contextual Bandits with Continuous Actions](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2608.26755/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Clinical trials in the medical domain are constrained by budgets. The number of patients that can be recruited is therefore limited. When a patient population is heterogeneous, this creates difficulties in learning subgroup specific responses to a particular drug and especially for a variety of dosages. In addition, patient recruitment can be difficult by the fact that clinical trials do not aim to provide a benefit to any given patient in the trial. In this paper, we propose C3T-Budget, a contextual constrained clinical trial algorithm for dose-finding under both budget and safety constraints. The algorithm aims to maximize drug efficacy within the clinical trial while also learning about the drug being tested. C3T-Budget recruits patients with consideration of the remaining budget, the remaining time, and the characteristics of each group, such as the population distribution, estimated expected efficacy, and estimation credibility. In addition, the algorithm aims to avoid unsafe dosages. These characteristics are further illustrated in a simulated clinical trial study, which corroborates the theoretical analysis and demonstrates an efficient budget usage as well as a balanced learning-treatment trade-off.