Double-blind studies

Double-blind studies are experiments in which the participants, the experimenters and the people analyzing the results do not know who is in the control group. Double-blind studies are frequently used in medicine.

The advantage of a double-blind study lies in the fact that because nobody involved is aware of who is receiving the genuine treatment and who is receiving a placebo, there is a better chance of the study yielding meaningful results. If the treatment being tested is effective, experimenters are more likely to see a clearer indication of this when using this method.