At th VII Cochrane Colloquium in Rome 5-9 October 1999, I attended a
satellite events entitled "the placebo effects". The speaker (in this moment
I can't remember his name) showed the result of a systematic review on the
placebo effect in clinical trials (exluding so the laboratory studies or
studies performed on voluntary people). In sinthesys, they couldn't
demonstrate any significative effect of the placebo on the "placebo groups".
It sounds odd to me, and to the rest of the audience too.
I'm anxious to read the complete review when it will be published on the
Cochrane Library.
Roberto Iovine
-----Messaggio originale-----
Da: Paul Sullivan <[log in to unmask]>
A: M. Carmen Meerschaert <[log in to unmask]>; ebm group
<[log in to unmask]>
Data: giovedì 14 ottobre 1999 21.11
Oggetto: the power of placebo
>I think you're absolutely right. The placebo effect might be an improtant
>part of the overall effect in real life. An example is
>oxygen for breathlessness which many patients claim is of great benefit
>but in studies patients may get similar benefit from air. But should we
>therefore say that they do not benefit and so must not have a treatment
>which is improving symptoms. Choice of control group is important and
>difficult.
>
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