A medical research team wishes to compare a new medicine with a placebo for reducing the symptoms of the common cold. (a

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A medical research team wishes to compare a new medicine with a
placebo for reducing the symptoms of the common cold. (a) In the
clinical trial, patients are grouped into pairs according to
certain criteria such as age, severity of symptoms etc. Then one
from each pair is chosen at random and given the new medicine,
while the other is given the placebo. Give the correct name for
this type of clinical trial, and explain briefly the purpose of
grouping patients into pairs. [2] (b) A student on work experience
suggests that patients should instead be divided at random into two
groups. Patients in the first group should begin by taking the
placebo for a period of time and then the new medicine. Patients in
the other group should take the new medicine first and then the
placebo. In general, what would be an advantage of this type of
design over the one described in part (b)? Explain why this design
is, however, not suitable in this case. [2] (c) In the clinical
trial, neither the patients receiving the new medicine nor the
patients receiving the placebo know whether they are receiving the
medicine or the placebo. The researchers who assess the outcomes of
the treatments are also unaware which of the patients are receiving
the medicine and which are receiving the placebo. Give the correct
name for this type of clinical trial