A Review of Global Experiences in Applying Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) within Behavioral Insights Units and Recommendations for the Islamic Consultative Assembly
Abstract
At both macro and micro levels of governance, policies, laws, programs, and interventions are continuously designed, approved, and implemented with the aim of improving the country’s and people’s conditions and achieving higher-level goals. However, there is generally little information about the true effectiveness and efficiency of these policies and laws. Policymakers design and replace policies, laws, and programs without being certain whether they are effective or how they can be improved. For this reason, evidence-based policy-making and legislation have expanded worldwide today. According to this modern approach, policymakers have sufficient evidence about the effectiveness of policies, laws, and programs before their approval and implementation, allowing them to adopt the most effective policies based on accurate evidence and improve their quality. The best and most precise method to determine whether a policy, law, or program is effective and efficient is through Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs).
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The Necessity of Using the RCT Method
RCTs, originally from medical science, are now increasingly used in policy-making to reliably assess the true impact of interventions. Their use has grown worldwide, led by North America, with notable adoption in developing countries like India, Kenya, and Mexico.
Features and Practical Guide to Using Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs)
Key features of RCTs include random sampling and assignment, comparing interventions with a control group, and measuring outcomes. Two main types are optimization RCTs (improving existing policies) and policy RCTs (testing new or different policies). A practical nine-step guide involves testing interventions, measuring results, and adapting policies based on findings in a continuous cycle.
Global Examples of RCT Application and Implementation
In the US, most RCTs are government-funded, mainly in health and education, led by the Social and Behavioral Sciences Team. In the UK, the Behavioral Insights Team leads RCT use, having conducted over 500 trials by 2020 and promoting evidence sharing through What Works centers. A 2003 UK study showed RCTs can effectively evaluate government programs, finding extra disability benefits didn’t improve return-to-work rates.
Recommendations for the Islamic Consultative Assembly
Recommendations for the Islamic Consultative Assembly include learning from RCT experiences, requiring evidence from RCTs before decisions, evaluating laws’ effectiveness beforehand, establishing a specialized RCT center, securing support from authorities, and promoting data sharing and evidence use.
This study was conducted at Iran Behavioral Insights Center in collaboration with the Office of Fundamental Governance Studies at the Research Center of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, by Fatemeh Morovati, Zeynab Armanian, and Mohammad Hassan Ebrahim-Kani in 2023.
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