Randomized Control Trial (RCT)
A study in which the participants are assigned by chance to separate groups; neither the researchers nor the participants can choose which group.
Part of: Clinical Trial
More to read: Why Randomization is Important, About Fair Tests of Treatments, Random Allocation
Random allocation for patients in a clinical trial with two groups CONSORT
About Randomized Trials
In the late 1940s, groups of researchers in Europe and the USA led one of the most important developments of modern medical science: they refined the methods for testing treatments in randomized controlled studies or “trials.””Randomized” means that volunteers are divided into groups by chance, like in a lottery. One of the groups then uses the treatment being tested. The experiences of the other group of people provide control or comparison data.
This makes it possible to see what effects the treatment actually has, and to make sure that the groups are not different from the start — for example, because one group has healthier people in it. This simple approach provides a way to find out if a treatment is effective, useless or even harmful… Read more about Randomized Control Trial