Rethinking randomized controlled trials

Blindness in Randomized Controlled Trials

In combination with randomization, blinding or masking is an important factor in randomized controlled trials (RCTs), particularly in trials that assess therapeutic effects. Here an attempt is made to explain blindness and why it is important. In clinical trials, blinding is defined as the condition imposed on a study in which study participants, health care providers and assessors collecting o...

blindness in randomized controlled trials

in combination with randomization, blinding or masking is an important factor in randomized controlled trials (rcts), particularly in trials that assess therapeutic effects. here an attempt is made to explain blindness and why it is important. in clinical trials, blinding is defined as the condition imposed on a study in which study participants, health care providers and assessors collecting o...

Randomized Controlled Trials

This paper covers the topic of randomized controlled trials in social, educational, criminological, health, and other human service sectors. It is studded with illustrations from developed and developing countries. We address the basic ideas that underlie trials in different ways, and cover contemporary definitions and vernacular, some history, and idea of cumulating evidence from such trials i...

Randomized controlled trials.

Cluster randomized controlled trials.

Cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT), in which groups or clusters of individuals rather than individuals themselves are randomized, are increasingly common. Indeed, for the evaluation of certain types of intervention (such as those used in health promotion and educational interventions) a cluster randomized trial is virtually the only valid approach. However, cluster trials are generally m...