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Placebo effects in children: a review
Katja Weimer1, Marco D Gulewitsch, Angelika A Schlarb
1Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany. katja.weimer@medizin.uni-tuebingen.de
Pediatric Research
|April 20, 2013
Summary
Research on the placebo effect in children and adolescents is limited. This review examines ethical barriers, compares pediatric placebo responses to adults, and discusses implications for future clinical trials.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric clinical research
- Psychoneuroimmunology
- Medical ethics
Background:
- A literature search revealed over 155,000 "placebo" citations, with only 5.8% mentioning children or adolescents.
- Of those, merely 2.5% specifically investigated the placebo effect in pediatric populations, indicating a significant knowledge gap.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the placebo response in children and adolescents.
- To identify legal and ethical limitations hindering pediatric placebo research.
- To compare pediatric placebo effects, mechanisms, and moderators with adult populations.
Main Methods:
- This study is a narrative review of existing literature.
- It synthesizes information on legal, ethical, and scientific aspects of placebo research in pediatric populations.
- The review critically examines the limited body of evidence concerning placebo effects in children and adolescents.
Main Results:
- Significant legal and ethical restrictions limit the inclusion of children in clinical trials and placebo research.
- The current evidence base is insufficient to definitively determine if placebo effects are larger in children than adults.
- Mechanisms and mediators/moderators of placebo effects in pediatric populations remain largely uncharacterized compared to adults.
Conclusions:
- The paucity of research on pediatric placebo effects is attributed to ethical and legal constraints.
- Further investigation is needed to understand if placebo responses differ between pediatric and adult populations.
- Findings from adult placebo research may have implications for pediatric experimental and clinical practice, necessitating careful consideration.
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