This term is sometimes used for the analysis of data from the clinical trial in which treatments A and B are to be compared under the suppositions that the patients remain on their assigned treatment throughout the trial. In contrast a pragmatic study of the trial would include asking whether it would be better to begin with A (with the intention of ongoing this therapy if possible but the willingness to be flexible) or to begin with B (and have same intention). With explanatory approach the target is to acquire information on the true effect of the treatment, while the pragmatic target is to make a decision about the therapeutic strategy after taking into account the price (such as withdrawal due to side effects) of administering treatment.