Premium
Clinical trials: specific problems associated with the use of a placebo control group
Author(s) -
Cleophas T. J. M.,
Meulen J. v.d.,
Kalmansohn R. B.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
british journal of clinical pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.216
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1365-2125
pISSN - 0306-5251
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2125.1997.00552.x
Subject(s) - clinical trial , placebo , audience measurement , alternative medicine , medicine , drug development , clinical research , medline , intensive care medicine , drug , psychiatry , pathology , political science , law
The topic of placebos in clinical research has been recently addressed in general medical journals, and is relevant to a clinical pharmacologists’ readership as well. In this article we try to give an overview of the benefits as well as problems of this methodology. Although the use of placebos in drug development is frequently absolutely essential, important ethical and technical problems are generally involved. We conclude that the placebo‐controlled trial although methodologically pure may sometimes cause too many difficulties in the clinical setting.