Is it always unethical to use a placebo in a clinical trial?
BACKGROUND TO THE DEBATE: Placebos are used in trials to conceal whether a treatment is being given or not and hence to control for the psychosomatic effects of offering treatment. Placebo-controlled trials are controversial. Critics of such trials argue that if a proven effective therapy exists, a...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2005-03-01
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| Series: | PLoS Medicine |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC1069666?pdf=render |
| Summary: | BACKGROUND TO THE DEBATE: Placebos are used in trials to conceal whether a treatment is being given or not and hence to control for the psychosomatic effects of offering treatment. Placebo-controlled trials are controversial. Critics of such trials argue that if a proven effective therapy exists, a placebo should not be used. But proponents argue that placebo trials are still crucial to prove the efficacy and safety of many treatments. |
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| ISSN: | 1549-1277 1549-1676 |