Randomized controlled trial

Randomized controlled design is a study method that assigns an intervention or placebo (or another treatment) randomly to a cohort of patients with a disease of interest. This design has been the gold-standard method by which investigators establish/assess the efficacy of an intervention with minimal bias. Without this design, experimental studies are fraught with biases that undermine an investigator's ability to measure an intervention's effectiveness. This design has been the backbone of many landmark research studies in which currently available standard-of-care treatments were rigorously assessed. Therefore it is extremely important to understand the facets and mechanics of a randomized controlled trial.