unblinded refers to a situation where participants or investigators are aware of the treatment assignments. This contrasts with blinded studies, where either the participants, the investigators, or both are unaware of which treatment is being administered to reduce bias. Unblinded studies can introduce various biases, affecting the objectivity of outcomes. For example, knowledge of treatment may influence participants’ reporting of side effects or the effectiveness of the treatment. It may also affect investigators' behavior and assessments during the study.