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- Glossary of Terms
Glossary of Terms
We know that many of the concepts used on this site can be difficult to understand. For that reason, we have provided you with a glossary to help you make sense of the terms used in Comparative Effectiveness Research. Every word that is defined in this glossary should appear highlighted throughout the Web site. When you come upon a highlighted term and would like to read the full definition, you can either click on the word to visit the glossary or roll your mouse over the word for a pop-up definition.
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- Clinical Trial
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Definition: A carefully conducted research study that compares the effects of drugs, treatments, or diagnostic tests.
Example:
For example, in a randomized controlled clinical trial to understand whether calcium tablets work to prevent broken bones in women with low bone density, women with low bone density in one group are randomly assigned to receive calcium and women with low bone density in another group are randomly assigned to the control group and receive a placebo (inactive substance). The numbers of women who suffer fractures in each group are compared to find out whether calcium works.
