Suppose a new drug treatment for headaches is compared to placebo in a two independent group matched-pairs study (measuring difference in pain levels before and after for the placebo group and for the drug group).Suppose the severity of symptoms was substantially reduced for both the placebo and the treatment groups.What should be done next?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Since the severity of symptoms was reduced for both the placebo and drug groups, it is important to take into account the placebo effect in order to determine if the drug treatment provides any additional benefit. Therefore, comparing the two groups directly will allow us to examine the specific influence of the drug treatment on the reduction of symptoms. Ignoring the placebo group or concluding that the drug doesn't do any better job than the placebo does would both be premature and incorrect conclusions without directly comparing the two groups.

Suppose a New Drug Treatment for Headaches Is Compared to Placebo