When this was discovered, the project consultants were immediately informed. They advised that this procedure be continued to avoid introduction of systematic bias. The simplest but valid randomization procedure was adopted and it is incorrect to call this purposive sampling. The typographical error highlighted below may have led Dr. Kapil to undermine the randomization process. The correction has been underlined.
Randomization is a technique for con-trolling for confounders but it is by no means foolproof.
Many randomized trials have not been able to control for all the confounders, some of which are as basic as sex. This is common knowledge. As required, we have reported those variables where randomization could not correct imbalances, like proportion with history of worm infestation and measles immunization. This adds to the credibility of the results and the trial certainly does not loose its merit as a result of this. I in the alben-dazole and placebo groups is not statistically significant.