For A Less Biased Study, Try Randomization

From the 13 April 2011 Medical News Today article

A new review** of existing research confirms that the so-called “gold standard” of medical research – the randomized controlled study – provides a safeguard against bias.

The researchers found that certain kinds of studies – those whose recruiters were more likely to know in which comparison group the next participant would land – had larger estimates of effects than those that whose “blinding” was considered adequate. Yet the finding does not mean such studies are inaccurate.

The findings could give researchers more insight into the pros and cons of the strategies they embrace to figure out whether one drug or treatment is better than another. While it might seem obvious that a randomized study is the most reliable option, scientists do not universally believe it is, said review lead author Jan Odgaard-Jensen. …

 

Related Resources

• What is comparative effectiveness research?
• Cochrane Reviews – A Great Source for Sound Medical Evidence
• Call for clinical trial raw data to be freely available to all (& a related call from the scientific community)
• Clinical Trials and Systematic Reviews: Managing Information Overload
• How to Read a Research Paper (and also Understand Health News)

 

** A summary of the article may be found here

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