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Originally Posted by Chris Noble  Did any of these directly compare a placebo group with a matched non-treatment group? |
Both these groups arguably have similar placebo responses. I think you are perhaps reading too much into theoretical difference (in clinicians minds) than in the real world medical interaction with patients.
If a patient feels 'no treatment' is the correct and proper plan of action for them, is that not also a placebo? Of course it is! Does the doc ever say
'we are not going to give you any treatment to see how much worse you do than others on treatment' ... of course they don't.
A fairer test would be to compare a placebo to nocebo (but of course it would be unethical) i.e. telling patients on one placebo they have a powerful good medicine and in the other giving the placebo telling them it isn't likely to work very well.
Ultimately, one must test doctors expectations. Which brings us back to that trial I want you to do someday Chris
I would love to have you on my side of the debate one day
