Blinding
In Running the trial
Also known as: masking, double-blind, single-blind
Blinding means keeping who received which treatment hidden from some or all of the people involved. In a single-blind trial the participant does not know; in a double-blind trial neither participant nor investigator knows. It protects against expectations influencing how people report symptoms, how clinicians assess them, and how data is handled.
Example
In a double-blind trial the tablets in both arms are identical, and the site pharmacist \u2014 not the investigator \u2014 is the only person with access to the treatment codes.
Common questions
- What does double-blind mean?
- Neither the participant nor the investigator and study staff assessing them know which treatment was given. Some trials go further and also blind the statisticians and the people adjudicating outcomes.
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