Glossary

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  • RandomisationRandomisation is a method of allocating or selecting without using any system. It is purely random. In clinical trials, participants are generally allocated to different arms of the trial (for example, to receive the study medicine or the placebo) randomly. This is a key part of the randomised(...)
  • Randomised clinical trialA randomised clinical trial is one that uses randomisation when allocating people to different arms of the study. For example, in a trial comparing a new medicine with a placebo, each person has an equal chance of being allocated to the medicine or to the placebo group.
  • Randomised controlled trialA randomised controlled trial is a trial in which people are allocated at random (by chance alone) to receive one of several clinical interventions such as a new medicine. One of these interventions is the control group, for example a placebo may be given, no intervention at all, or the(...)
  • RCTA randomised controlled trial is a trial in which people are allocated at random (by chance alone) to receive one of several clinical interventions such as a new medicine. One of these interventions is the control group, for example a placebo may be given, no intervention at all, or the(...)
  • Randomised participantsParticipants in a trial who have been randomly (by chance) assigned to one intervention arm or another of that trial. Practical considerations, such as missing data over time, may lead to some participants not being included in the final analysis.
  • Rare diseaseA rare disease, also referred to as an orphan disease, is any disease that affects a small percentage of the population. Rare disease are commonly defined as life-threatening or chronically debilitating diseases which are of such low prevalence (fewer than 1 in 2,000 people) that special(...)
  • Reassortant vaccineA subtype of attenuated vaccines containing genetic material from at least two different strains of the same pathogen.
  • Recombinant DNARecombinant DNA, often shortened to rDNA, is an artificially made DNA strand that is formed by the combination of two or more gene sequences from different species. Recombinant DNA is engineered specifically for a purpose. For example, recombinant DNA can be used to change the genetic makeup(...)
  • Recombinant GeneA recombinant gene is one which has been changed by the addition and/or removal of some of its sequence. This can happen naturally or may be done artificially in the laboratory.Natural recombination happens when the chromosomes in parents interact and exchange genetic material so that their(...)
  • Recombinant vaccineA vaccine using an antigen produced using recombinant DNA technology.

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