A medical researcher reads an article in Today's Health-Conscious Woman magazine about the benefits of using the phytochemical capsaicin to treat knee pain.She asks 10 people with arthritic knees to rub a cream that contains the phytochemical on their knee joints for 2 weeks.At the end of the 2 weeks,the researcher asks the subjects whether their knee pain improved,stayed about the same,or worsened during the treatment period.After collecting responses from the people,the researcher reports the results of her study during a popular TV show that is hosted by a doctor.Based on this information, which of the following statements is true?

Question

A medical researcher reads an article in Today's Health-Conscious Woman magazine about the benefits of using the phytochemical capsaicin to treat knee pain.She asks 10 people with arthritic knees to rub a cream that contains the phytochemical on their knee joints for 2 weeks.At the end of the 2 weeks,the researcher asks the subjects whether their knee pain improved,stayed about the same,or worsened during the treatment period.After collecting responses from the people,the researcher reports the results of her study during a popular TV show that is hosted by a doctor.Based on this information, which of the following statements is true?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The researcher did not divide the subjects of her study into control and treatment groups, which is a fundamental aspect of standard scientific design for research involving human subjects. This means that there is no way to determine if the benefits observed were due to the treatment or to other factors, such as the placebo effect. Additionally, there is no mention of a review of scientific literature or peer review, so options B and C cannot be chosen as correct.

A Medical Researcher Reads an Article in Today's Health-Conscious Woman