Final answer:
In an 'open-label' trial, both the researchers and participants are aware of the treatments being administered. It is used in the context of comparing diabetes medications, where management of the disease includes lifestyle changes and medication to control blood glucose levels.
Step-by-step explanation:
An 'open-label' trial means that both the researchers and the participants know which treatment is being administered. This is in contrast to a 'double-blind' trial where neither the researchers nor the participants know who is receiving the active medication or the placebo, thus eliminating any potential biases in the assessment of the drug’s efficacy and side effects.
Diabetes is managed through lifestyle changes, regular monitoring of blood glucose levels, and medications or insulin administration when needed. Type 2 diabetes, in particular, may sometimes be controlled through diet and exercise, but often requires medication.
The medications compared in the 26-week trial, liraglutide and exenatide, are examples of a class of drugs known as incretin mimetics, which are used to manage type 2 diabetes by stimulating the release of insulin when blood glucose levels are high.