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Published on: March 23, 2022
Placebo-controlled trials and the Declaration of Helsinki
John A Lewis1, Bertil Jonsson, Gottfried Kreutz
1Hatch Green Cottage, Chartham Hatch, Canterbury, Kent CT4 7LP, UK. john.lewis@clintrial.co.uk
Abstract:
A revised version of the Declaration of Helsinki, issued in October, 2000, remains a vital expression of medical ethics, and deserves unanimous support. A strict interpretation of the declaration seems to rule out clinical trials that use a placebo control group whenever licensed therapeutic methods already exist, preferring active controls. Although the efficacy of some new medicines can be satisfactorily established without the use of a placebo, for others the judicious use of placebo remains essential to establish their effectiveness.
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