Year: 2000 Source: Annals of Internal Medicine, v.133, no.6, (19 September 2000), p.464-470 SIEC No: 20041128

This paper discusses the ethical considerations for using placebo controls in particular medical settings. Unmeasured effects on long-term outcomes (such as suicide), lack of data on efficacy or risk-benefit ratio, limited accessibility of proven treatments, & patient motivations for participation in placebo-controlled trials are among the topics discussed. The value & relevance of placebo-controlled trials of new agents in situations in which proven effective therapy is available are also explored. (44 refs)