Posted: October 3rd, 2016

All of the following are potential benefits of a randomized clinical trial, except

38. All of the following are potential benefits of a randomized clinical trial, except: [ONE POINT]

a. The likelihood that the study groups will be comparable is increased
b. Self-selection for a particular treatment is eliminated
c. The external validity of the study is increased
d. Assignment of the next subject cannot be predicted
e. The therapy that a subject receives is not influenced by either conscious or subconscious bias of the investigator

39. The major purpose of random assignment in a clinical trial is to: [ONE POINT]

a. Help ensure that study subjects are representative of the general population
b. Facilitate double blinding (masking)
c. Facilitate the measurement of outcome variables
d. Ensure that the study groups have comparable baseline characteristics
e. Reduce selection bias in the allocation of treatment
40. Investigators conducted a retrospective cohort study to investigate outbreak gastroenteritis in California. Use the results of the following table to answer the following questions:

Food Ate Did not eat
Ill Well AR Ill well AR RR
Chicken 35 17 67.3 17 22 43.6 1.5
Potato Salad 50 12 80.6 10 35 22.2 3.6
Spinach 25 10 71.4 20 30 40.0 1.8
Salad 15 11 57.7 16 12 57.1 1.0
Fruits 8 30 21.1 6 18 25.0 0.8

A. What is the most likely food that causes this outbreak? Why? (TWO POINTS)