Randomized Trials

In some research trials, participants are randomly assigned to a treatment plan. Randomization is like flipping a coin or pulling a number from a hat. You have an equal chance of being assigned to any of the treatment options being tested (or to receive a placebo, or sugar pill, instead of the drug being researched). Because medical research must be kept very scientific, you cannot pick which protocol you want to be assigned to in a randomized trial.