Methods of Information in Medicine · 1962 · 11 citations · 0 references
MedicinePharmacologyClinical PharmacologyExperimental PharmacologyPharmacovigilanceClinical Trial DesignClinical TrialsDrug Efficacy AssessmentEfficacy EvaluationPlacebo EffectRandomized Controlled TrialsPlacebo ComparatorsPlacebo Effect In TreatmentPlacebo TestsPlacebo-controlled Efficacy AssessmentTherapeutic Efficacy AssessmentUse Of Active Placebos
Placebos can mimic in many ways the characteristics of active drugs. The importance of placebo controls in clinical trials in the evaluation of therapeutic efficacy and side action liability of drugs is exemplified by specific examples from human experimentation. It is concluded that controlled trials will prevent many of the errors inherent in uncontrolled therapeutic observations.