RCT: Randomised Controlled Trials
Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) are a type of clinical study used to evaluate the effectiveness of medical treatments, including medical cannabis. In an RCT, participants are randomly assigned to either a treatment group or a control group, providing high-quality evidence on the safety and efficacy of treatments. The treatment group receives the medical treatment or intervention being studied, while the control group receives either a placebo or standard treatment.
What are Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs)?
Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) are clinical studies in which patients or participants are randomly placed into groups that either receive the studied treatment option or a placebo/control.
This method is considered to be the 'gold standard' for medical research, ensuring unbiased results and accurate data collection.
Why are RCTs important in medical cannabis research?
Medical cannabis (and cannabis more generally) has just gone through almost a century of heavy prohibition and stigmatisation, resulting in a lack of scientific research and general misunderstanding in the field. The simple fact that it was illegal for such a long period, with such a huge amount of socio-political pressure, has meant multiple generations have grown up with an ingrained bias against cannabis.
It also meant that research into the fascinating properties of the cannabis plant have been severely limited.
In this context, RCTs are crucial as they provide reliable and unbiased evidence on the effectiveness of medical cannabis treatments. This data helps to remove the stigma still surrounding cannabis and contributes to the growing body of scientific research in this field.
To find out if you are eligible for medical cannabis treatment in the UK, check out our fast and free medical cannabis eligibility checker.
If you would like to learn more about medical cannabis in the UK, Releaf is here to help. In addition to this medical cannabis glossary, we have an extensive blog and education hub to explore, both filled with resources that UK medical cannabis patients, prescribers, and educators have been asking for.