title: Epilogue. The imperative for truly scientific outcome analyses.
abstract: Randomization is the best method of obtaining comparable groups in clinical trials, yet it is seldom used to compare one surgical treatment with another. The use of historic controls or unblinded randomization can lead to bias in selection and to questionable outcome results. The publication of clinical studies that are unblinded and not randomized should be questioned.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University Hospital, University of Western Ontario, London.
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Bourne
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D009985:Orthopedics / Q000592:standards*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012107:Research Design / Q000592:standards