When are placebos used in clinical trials?
Placebo is a treatment that is no different from a regular treatment but is made of inactive ingredients that have no effect on the health of the patient. In medicinal research and drug administration, placebos are widely used in clinical trials to evaluate the effectiveness of drugs. If a new drug is being tested on patients, then the placebo is like a sugar pill.
People often wonder why placebos are used in clinical trials. It is important to first understand how placebos work before you get to understand the use of placebos in clinical trials.
Why are placebos used in clinical trials?
Placebos hold immense importance in drug research and clinical studies as they provide researchers with comparison for new therapies. In this manner, the safety and effectiveness of new medicines are determined and this evidence can be shared with drug regulatory bodies for approval of new drugs. Placebos also prevent biases in drug research.
Placebo-controlled trials
A study is termed placebo-controlled if it involves two groups of patients in which one is given the investigational drug and the other is given a placebo. The results of the two groups are compared by the researchers to fully understand the effectiveness of the new drug. Placebos are used to make sure that treatment being tested is safe and effective. Volunteers for clinical trials are randomly assigned in either of the two groups. Many at times, no one knows who gets the treatment or the placebo. A drug is only approved when it produces a much greater effect than a placebo.
Placebo-controlled trials have been really helpful in medicinal research and history. For example, early research suggested that a herbal supplement, ginkgo Biloba, might be effective in delaying dementia. National Institute of Health led a 6-year clinical trial with more than 3000 volunteers aged 75 or above. The results showed no significant differences in the effects of dementia who received ginkgo Biloba or the placebo. Both treatments helped some people, but the placebo patients did as well as the herbs being studied. The results were not satisfying but helped the scientists discover information for future research for example they learned about the groups of participants more at risk of developing dementia or the effects of ginkgo Biloba on cardiovascular disease, cancer, depression, etc. New insights were also gained on designing large scale dementia clinical trials and conducting such trials.
Harnessing the power of placebos
Placebos have been widely used in drug control experiments however with their ability to make changes to the body, they are being studied as a treatment in their own right. Many conditions have demonstrated positive outcomes due to the use of placebos. These include pain management, depression, Irritable bowel syndrome, erectile dysfunction, anxiety disorders, and chronic cough. Many experiments and researches all over the world have proven that placebos can make a measurable improvement in symptoms of these problems. Future researchers are exploring new ways to harness the power of placebo and use it effectively in health and wellness programs. The best thing about them is they have no side effects, are affordable, and have considerable effectiveness in many situations.