Summary: It is easy for armchair activists to bash randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with clever methodological critiques. However, it takes a lot of effort and coordination to pull off an RCT successfully. Saurabh Jha (aka @RogueRad) speaks to Dr. Mark Neuman and Lakisha Gaskins, principal investigator and research project manager of the REGAIN trial, respectively, about the logic, challenges and intricacies of conducting an RCT. The Regional versus General Anesthesia for Promoting Independence After Hip Surgery (REGAIN) trial is an ongoing pragmatic, multi-center RCT, funded by PCORI, which randomizes patients with hip fractures to regional or general anesthesia. http://rt5.cceb.med.upenn.edu/public/REGAIN/index.html Guests: Mark Neuman MD MSc, is an Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a senior fellow at the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics. He's a former RWJ Scholar. Lakisha Gaskins is a research coordinator with extensive experience recruiting patients for RCTs
