What is a Randomized controlled trial (RCT)?
Answer
A Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) is a clinical trial where participants are randomly assigned to either a treatment group or a control group. The test-treatment group receives the treatment being studied while the control group receives either an alternative treatment, no treatment, or a placebo. Effects of the treatments are monitored to determine the efficacy of the treatment while reducing bias in both researchers and participants.
You can find RCT results in many databases. Cochrane Collection Plus searches across the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Methodology Register, and Cochrane Clinical Answers, so it is a good place to start. For discipline-specific databases, explore the resources on our Research by Subject pages in your discipline.