Non-clinical sciences/Stats & evidence · Study design

Randomised controlled trial

[object Object]

What it means

Participants randomly allocated to intervention vs control; blinding (single/double) reduces bias; intention-to-treat preserves randomisation. Highest-level individual study for causation. CONSORT reporting.

Worked example

Random allocation + placebo control + double blinding + ITT analysis = RCT.

In the exam

To test a new drug's efficacy, investigators randomly allocate patients to drug or placebo and analyse everyone in the group they were assigned to.

What settles it

RCT = forward, randomised, interventional; a cohort follows exposure forward WITHOUT randomising; case-control looks backward from outcome.

Classically confused with

Cohort study

Source: StatPearls; CONSORT