Methodological Differences in Clinical Trials Evaluating Nonpharmacological and Pharmacological Treatments of Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis

Abstract

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are widely accepted as the most reliable method of determining the effectiveness of specific therapies.¹ The design, conduct, and analysis of clinical trials aim at providing valid results, which implies that the treatment effect reported represents its true direction and magnitude² and that the trial minimizes bias, which can distort results.^3,4