Randomised controlled trial

Randomised controlled trial (often abbreviated as RCT) is a type of scientific experiment which aims to reduce bias when testing a new treatment. The people participating in the trial are randomly allocated to either the group receiving the treatment under investigation or to a group receiving standard treatment (or placebo treatment) as the control.

History

The first recorded RCT was conducted by the British statistician Austin Bradford Hill in 1948. The trial aimed to test the efficacy of streptomycin, a new treatment for tuberculosis. Since then, RCTs have become a standard method in the design of experiments in the fields of medicine and psychology.

Methodology

RCTs are often used in testing the efficacy or effectiveness of various types of medical intervention and may provide information about adverse effects, such as drug reaction. In some cases, they are combined with qualitative research to gain more data.

Advantages and Disadvantages

RCTs have a number of advantages. They can provide robust evidence for cause and effect, as well as being able to control for confounding variables. However, they also have disadvantages. They can be expensive to run, and ethical and practical issues may arise in relation to the randomisation process.

See also

• Clinical trial
• Observational study
• Cohort study
• Meta-analysis

References

Randomised controlled trial Resources
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