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Home » FAQ » What Is The Difference Between Single Blind And Double Blind Clinical Trials?

What Is The Difference Between Single Blind And Double Blind Clinical Trials?

When undertaking a clinical trial, the two major models that one can use are the single blind and double blind trials. Selecting the right trial is important since it can affect the outcome of the trial or introduce errors. The ideal model should be selected based on the type of trial and other variables. For any clinical trial, there are usually two groups of people who are experimented on. Members of one group are given a placebo, and the members of another group are given the treatment that is being studied. This is so as to compare the effectiveness of the treatment to placebo.

In a single blind study, the participants in the clinical trial do not know if they are receiving the placebo or the real treatment. This is done to reduce the risk of errors, since some participants might produce spurious results if they know that they are taking the placebo or medication. In this model, the experimenter monitoring the participants knows which individuals received the placebo and which ones got the treatment under examination.

In a double-blind study, both the participants and the experimenters do not know which group got the placebo and which got the experimental treatment. This is considered to be the superior model of clinical research since it eliminates outcomes that are produced due to placebo effect, as well as observer bias by the experimenter. The fact that the experimenter does not know which group received the placebo or the experimental drug means that the risk of conscious and unconscious observer bias is reduced, making the study more accurate.