randomised control trials

Question 1

what is a randomised control trial

Answer 1

a trial where a participant is randomly allocated to either one intervention

Question 2

why are placebos used against testing treatments

Answer 2

to see uf intevention med is better than a control group not taking the intervevention
want to see if there’s improvements

Question 3

why are the groups randomised

Answer 3

ensures you have balanced groups at the beginning
those who have the intervention should be the same as those who have the placebo

Question 4

what does the controlled part mean

Answer 4

control group = on placebo
allows you to compare 2 groups

Question 5

con - design of the trial is crucial

Answer 5

critical to start with a null hypothesis thats clear on what you’re trying to test and what you’re trying to measure
have to really get the right patient
then have to choose a design that can answer the question

Question 6

con - can be expensive

Answer 6

funding can be difficult
can be funded by pharm manufacturers
can be gov funded
competitive process to get funding

Question 7

con - can be long

Answer 7

having idea, designing trial, analysing data, and publishing results cna take 12-18 months assuming there’s funding

Question 8

what is bias

Answer 8

anything that distorts the results

Question 9

types of bias

Answer 9

need to be sure of proper randomisation
pts need to be adhering to trial instructions
needs to be blind