Doctor Quote by Ben Goldacre
““Randomisation is not a new idea. It was first proposed in the seventeenth century by John Baptista van Helmont, a Belgian radical who challenged the academics of his day to test their treatments like blood-letting and purging (based on ‘theory’) against his own, which he said were based more on clinical experience: ‘Let us take out of the hospitals, out of the Camps, or from elsewhere, two hundred, or five hundred poor People, that have Fevers, Pleurisies, etc. Let us divide them into half, let us cast lots, that one half of them may fall to my share, and the other to yours … We shall see how many funerals both of us shall have.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Historical lecture on clinical trials, 2000s
Randomisation tests treatments by comparing groups, reducing bias from theory‑driven practices.
In simple terms: Randomisation compares groups to avoid bias.
Key Takeaway
Use random assignment to evaluate interventions.
Themes
science
methodology
skepticism
Mood
critical
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
educational
When to use this quote
- medical research
- public health policy
- hospital studies
Key Concepts
clinical trials
experimental design
evidence based medicine
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we ethically randomise vulnerable populations?
- What alternatives exist when randomisation isn’t feasible?
A Different Perspective
Randomisation may be impractical or unethical in some settings.
![“I am somewhat influenced by the years that I've spent trying to actually get things done, whether it was reforming education in Arkansas or a survey and Legal Services Corporation board when President [Jimmy ]Carter appointed me and trying to get lawyers for poor people. I have worked in these…” quote by Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6c7/hillary-clinton-51_action_i-am-somewhat-influenced-by-the-years-th_9078.jpg)
![“And if, by the end [of this book], you reckon you might still disagree with me, then I offer you this: you'll still be wrong, but you'll be wrong with a lot more panache and flair than you could possibly manage right now.” quote by Ben Goldacre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8a6/ben-goldacre-9578_book_and-if-by-the-end-of-this-book-you-recko_125048.jpg)
