Understanding Placebos in Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are intended to test the safety and effectiveness on investigational therapies. So why are placebos used, particularly in vaccine trials? Placebos are particularly useful for helping researchers assess safety, efficacy, and actual side effects among control and treatment groups. What is a placebo though? Placeboes are inactive pills, injections, or procedures that have no effect on humans. Placebos are commonly called ‘sugar pills’ or ‘saline shots’. Placebos are used in some clinical trials to help researchers determine if an investigational therapy is effective. In a placebo-controlled … Read more