Which group receives the placebo in a clinical study?
In research, nothing is left to chance. Data has to be collected, evaluated, compared, and assessed to reach scientifically proven conclusions. It is a long and tedious procedure and requires a thorough investigation. Clinical trials are types of research in which a behavior or treatment is studied. People have numerous questions regarding clinical trials and the use of placebos. Many people wonder what is the role of placebo in clinical trials or which group receives the placebo in a clinical study. In this article, we will discuss the common questions asked about the use of placebo in clinical trials.
Using Placebo in Clinical Study
Most of the clinical trials adopt a ‘randomized, placebo-controlled’ approach. In such a method, volunteers are randomly selected and divided into two groups. One group receives the experimental intervention and the other receives the placebo. Placebo is an inert substance and chemically has no effectiveness, however, it is known to trigger a placebo response. In order to judge the effectiveness of the new drug in the trial, the placebo effect is to be outperformed by the drug being studied. If there's a large or a significant difference between drug effect and placebo effect, the drug could be a success. Results from both groups suggest whether the effects or changes occurring in the test group are the results of the treatment or by chance.
In most of the trials nobody- not even the researchers- is aware of who gets the treatment or who gets the placebo. When all participants are unaware of the treatment the study is called ‘double-blind’ clinical trial. However, if it's just the volunteers who are unaware, the study is called ‘single-blind’ clinical trial.
Debate Of Ethics
It was after WWII, that placebo-controlled clinical trials became widespread in drug research. It can be rightly said that this randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial was a major breakthrough in medicinal research and drug administration. However, its use in clinical research has become a topic of debate in the medical community. There have been many arguments against the use of placebos in clinical trials. As many believe it is unethical to create a placebo group that receives no treatment. It deprives people of already existing or potentially effective therapies. Meanwhile researchers argue placebo use in clinical trials is an essential method that can help in protecting society from harm that could be caused by ineffective drugs.
The use of placebo by vulnerable groups like children, psychiatric patients, patients suffering from cancer or any chronic illness is sometimes supported by the fact that placebos have no side effects.
Nevertheless, there is valid scientific consideration for using placebo control groups in clinical trials to assure the effectiveness of treatments. These trials are justifiable as long as their use does not put research participants in any danger or has a risk of harm but offers potential benefits to them