Topics
Randomised controlled trials
Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are a type of experimental study design that are used to evaluate the effectiveness of a treatment or intervention. In an RCT, participants are randomly assigned to receive either the treatment being studied or a control intervention (such as a placebo or standard treatment).
This randomisation helps to ensure that any differences between the two groups are due to the intervention being studied, rather than other factors. RCTs are considered to be the "gold standard" of clinical research, as they provide the strongest evidence for determining the effectiveness of a treatment.