Despite the integral importance of blinding and blinding assessment to randomized controlled trials (RCTs), they are rarely reported on or documented in trial reports according to this study published yesterday in Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. The study of schizophrenia and affective disorder medication research in 2,467 publications from 2000 to 2010 found that an absence of blinding and blinding assessment was associated with an increased rate of positive findings of treatment success, industrial sponsorship, and diagnosis of schizophrenia.
Baethge, C., Assall, O.P., Baldessarini, R.J., Systematic Review of Blinding Assessment in Randomized Controlled Trials in Schizophrenia and Affective Disorders 2000-2010. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. Online March 25, 2013
