Editing Randomized controlled trial (section)

=== Peer review ===

[[Peer review]] of results is an important part of the [[scientific method]]. Reviewers examine the study results for potential problems with design that could lead to unreliable results (for example by creating a [[systematic bias]]), evaluate the study in the context of related studies and other evidence, and evaluate whether the study can be reasonably considered to have proven its conclusions. To underscore the need for peer review and the danger of overgeneralizing conclusions, two Boston-area medical researchers performed a randomized controlled trial in which they randomly assigned either a parachute or an empty backpack to 23 volunteers who jumped from either a biplane or a helicopter. The study was able to accurately report that parachutes fail to reduce injury compared to empty backpacks. The key context that limited the general applicability of this conclusion was that the aircraft were parked on the ground, and participants had only jumped about two feet.<ref>{{Cite news |date=22 Dec 2018 |title=Researchers Show Parachutes Don't Work, But There's A Catch |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/12/22/679083038/researchers-show-parachutes-dont-work-but-there-s-a-catch |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117012339/https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/12/22/679083038/researchers-show-parachutes-dont-work-but-there-s-a-catch |archive-date=Jan 17, 2024 |work=NPR |vauthors=Harris R}}</ref>