What defines a double blind trial?

A double-blind trial is designed to eliminate bias in the research process, allowing for unbiased results. In such a trial, both the participants (patients) and the individuals administering the treatment or assessing the outcomes (investigators) are unaware of which participants are receiving the treatment or the placebo. This design helps ensure that neither party's expectations or beliefs can influence the results, thus providing more reliable and valid data regarding the effectiveness and safety of the treatment being studied. The blinding process is crucial in clinical trials as it increases the credibility of the findings by minimizing the risk of bias that could arise from the expectations of the participants or the perceptions of the investigators.