Can you comment on the ideal method to evaluate whether blinding worked properly in randomized trials? I do not think the methods were discussed in the chapter or lecture.
Thank you,
Kristen
In a placebo-controlled trial, you commonly ask patients whether they thought they were randomized to active treatment or placebo. If you are using a patient-reported outcome, and the patients in the active treatment group thought they were on active treatment, they might tend towards reporting a more favorable outcome. If the patients in the control group also thought they were on active treatment, then there won't be any bias. The control patients will also report more favorable outcomes -- the placebo effect. That's why we use identical-appearing placebos.
MAK
I'd just add that sometimes people ask treating clinicians and those assessing outcomes to guess treatment assignment with the same rationale.
T