Back to: N-of-1 Trials: A scientist in your back pocket

Another big advantage is that in N-of-1 trials, participants get to try each treatment. This means that no one is assigned the “control condition” where they receive a placebo for the entire time. That makes it less likely that people will decide not to participate or to drop out. 

N-of-1 trials can also reach populations that researchers often miss, such as those who might not qualify or sign up for clinical trials. The trials are also able to collect data on how participants react to treatments in a range of real life situations, which paint a clearer and more comprehensive picture of the true effects of treatments. N-of-1 trials can also give doctors better information about the person in front of them by using information from trials with people who have similar characteristics.