Barriers to conducting randomised controlled trials - Contemporary Nurse: Healthcare Across the Lifespan

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Barriers to conducting randomised controlled trials: Lessons learnt from the Horsechestnut & Venous Leg Ulcer Trial (HAVLUT)

Matthew J Leach
Research Fellow, Health Economics & Social Policy Group, Sansom Institute, Playford Building University of South Australia, Adelaide SA

PP: 037 - 047

Abstract

The RCT is considered the gold standard for testing a therapeutic intervention. However, the conduct of an RCT is not without numerous obstacles. As illustrated through the recent Horsechestnut and Venous Leg Ulcer Trial (HAVLUT), these barriers can be attributed to randomisation, recruitment, retention, blinding and sampling procedures, and to gate keeping. These obstacles, together with strategies to prevent and overcome them, are detailed throughout this article, and are aimed at ameliorating the future design and conduct of RCTs.

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Keywords

randomised controlled trials; gate keeping; randomisation; blinding; recruitment

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