Random allocation is a process used in research studies, particularly in randomised controlled trials (RCTs), to assign participants or subjects to different groups (such as treatment or control groups) in a random manner. The goal of random allocation is to eliminate any bias or systematic differences between groups, ensuring that the groups are as similar as possible at the start of the study. This helps researchers isolate the effect of the intervention or treatment and makes the results of the study more reliable.
In systematic reviews, random allocation is one of the key domains in a risk of bias assessment of randomised controlled trials.