随机对照试验（英语：randomized controlled trial，RCT）是一种对医疗卫生服务中的某种疗法或药物的效果进行检测的手段，特别常用于医学、药学、护理学研究中，在司法、教育、社会科学等其他领域也有所应用。

随机对照试验的基本方法是，将研究对象随机分组，对不同组实施不同的干预，在这种严格的条件下对照效果的不同。在研究对象数量足够的情况下，这种方法可以抵消已知和未知的混杂因素对各组的影响。

A randomized controlled trial (or randomized control trial; RCT) is a type of scientific (often medical) experiment which aims to reduce bias when testing a new treatment. The people participating in the trial are randomly allocated to either the group receiving the treatment under investigation or to a group receiving standard treatment (or placebo treatment) as the control. Randomization minimises selection bias and the different comparison groups allow the researchers to determine any effects of the treatment when compared with the no treatment (control) group, while other variables are kept constant. The RCT is often considered the gold standard for a clinical trial. RCTs are often used to test the efficacy or effectiveness of various types of medical intervention and may provide information about adverse effects, such as drug reactions. Random assignment of intervention is done after subjects have been assessed for eligibility and recruited, but before the intervention to be studied begins.