In addition, there was no incentive for participation and the participants were not aware of the aim of the study.
A further consideration is that while the general practices were selected by the care groups, we do not expect selection bias to have occurred as the care groups were not aware of the aim of this study in advance.
When the diagnosis reported by the GP was not consistent throughout the follow-up year, the final diagnosis for chest pain was discussed and approved by a group of clinicians who were not aware of the aim of this study.
Some patients believed that the booklet is not a useful tool or were not aware of the aims of the booklet.
Making individuals aware of the aims of the study they are entering and making them participate in a balanced relationship "researcher-subject of research" are fundamental actions that go beyond the Ethical Board reviewing process of the protocols.
The study was conducted by the first author together with four student research assistants, who were blinded completely and, therefore, were not aware of the aims, intervention content, and any other information that could bias the results.
Research has shown that the physicians most heavily involved in palliative care (training, management of patients at the end of life) are the least in favour of the legalisation of euthanasia, are more aware of the aims of palliative care, and are in favour of the professionalization of this medical speciality [ 13, 17, 18].
Thus, they were not aware of the underlying aim of the present study.
However, blinding the true aim is imperative to the study design as an effect from the physical environment may be overestimated or underestimated if participants are explicitly made aware of the actual aim of the study.
Others, while holding firmly to the uniqueness of Jesus Christ and fully aware of the hegemonic aims and brutal methods of "Islamist" groups, may have friends who are Muslims: they long to introduce them to the one whose whole life was lived in the loving, peaceful submission of his will to God.
Fraser, well aware of the criticism aimed at the manager, is convinced he can still steer the nation to the finals.
