Randomized controlled trial

How it is used

Usually shortened to RCT and seen as the strongest single design for testing whether an intervention works. In public health, whole villages, schools or clinics may be randomized instead of individuals; this is a cluster randomized trial.

Example sentences

1. A randomized controlled trial showed that text message reminders improved vaccine uptake.

2. Not every public health question can be answered with a randomized controlled trial.

Common collocations

• conduct a randomized controlled trial
• cluster randomized trial
• double-blind trial
• control group
• RCT evidence

Related terms

• interventionA planned action, programme or policy designed to improve health or change a health-related behaviour or condition in a group of people.
• cohort studyAn observational study that follows a group of people over time, comparing those with and without an exposure to see who develops a disease or outcome.
• systematic reviewA review that uses a clear, pre-planned method to find, select and assess all the relevant studies on a specific question and then combine their findings.
• biasA systematic error in how a study is designed, carried out or analysed that pushes its results away from the truth in one direction.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

• randomized controlled trial · Pharmacy & Pharmacology

More terms: Study Design

• case-control study
• cross-sectional study
• observational study
• meta-analysis