Is it always unethical to use a placebo in a clinical trial?
review · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 15783259.
- Also identified by PMC identifier 1069666.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
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.
Medical subject headings
- Placebos
- Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic