They finally did it - a randomized controlled trial of parachutes when jumping from airplanes.
The article was printed in the BMJ - top quality journal. Authors were from Harvard Medical School, UCLA Medical School, Univ. Michigan Dept. of Emergency Medicine, and Michigan Integrated Center for Health Analytics and Medical Prediction.
Objective
To determine if using a parachute prevents death or major traumatic injury when jumping from an aircraft.
Design
Randomized controlled trial.
Setting
Private or commercial aircraft between September 2017 and August 2018.
Participants
92 aircraft passengers aged 18 and over were screened for participation. 23 agreed to be enrolled and were randomized.
Intervention
Jumping from an aircraft (airplane or helicopter) with a parachute versus an empty backpack (unblinded).
Main outcome measures
Composite of death or major traumatic injury (defined by an Injury Severity Score over 15) upon impact with the ground measured immediately after landing.
Results
Parachute use did not significantly reduce death or major injury (0% for parachute v 0% for control; P>0.9). This finding was consistent across multiple subgroups.
What is already known on this topic
Parachutes are routinely used to prevent death or major traumatic injury among individuals jumping from aircraft, but their efficacy is based primarily on biological plausibility and expert opinion
No randomized controlled trials of parachute use have yet been attempted, presumably owing to a lack of equipoise
What this study adds
This randomized trial of parachute use found no reduction in death or major injury compared with individuals jumping from aircraft with an empty backpack
Lack of enrollment of individuals at high risk could have influenced the results of the trial
