Randomised controlled trial [RCT]
« Back to Glossary Index
A 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 current best treatment available. This study is one of the simplest and most powerful tools in clinical research.
Synonyms:
randomised controlled studies, randomised controlled study