Placebos without Deception: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Ted J. Kaptchuk; Elizabeth Friedlander; John M. Kelley; M. Norma Sanchez; Efi Kokkotou; Joyce P. Singer; Magda Kowalczykowski; Franklin G. Miller; Irving Kirsch; Anthony J. Lembo

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0015591

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Open Access

Peer-reviewed

Research Article

Placebos without Deception: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Ted J. Kaptchuk ,

* E-mail: ted_kaptchuk@hms.harvard.edu

Affiliations Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America, Osher Research Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
⨯
Elizabeth Friedlander,

Affiliation Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
⨯
John M. Kelley,

Affiliations Psychology Department, Endicott College, Beverly, Massachusetts, United States of America, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
⨯
M. Norma Sanchez,

Affiliation Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
⨯
Efi Kokkotou,

Affiliation Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
⨯
Joyce P. Singer,

Affiliation Osher Research Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
⨯
Magda Kowalczykowski,

Affiliation Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
⨯
Franklin G. Miller,

Affiliation Department of Bioethics, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
⨯
Irving Kirsch,

Affiliation Department of Psychology, University of Hull, Hull, United Kingdom
⨯
Anthony J. Lembo

Affiliation Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
⨯

Placebos without Deception: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Ted J. Kaptchuk,
Elizabeth Friedlander,
John M. Kelley,
M. Norma Sanchez,
Efi Kokkotou,
Joyce P. Singer,
Magda Kowalczykowski,
Franklin G. Miller,
Irving Kirsch,
Anthony J. Lembo

Published: December 22, 2010
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0015591

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Limitations

Posted by bshuker on 24 Dec 2010 at 03:12 GMT

I think a more stringent methodology ought to be applied with >n, and a participant pool where symptoms could be more objectively tested pre- and post-placebo treatment (i.e. not reliant upon self-reporting, to eliminate participants' desires to please the experimenter).

Equally I think a third experimental group given placebo in the traditional, deceptive fashion would be a useful comparative group, to determine the efficacy of deceptive versus open placebo treatments.

No competing interests declared.

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Placebos without Deception: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Placebos without Deception: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Irritable Bowel Syndrome

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Limitations

Posted by bshuker on 24 Dec 2010 at 03:12 GMT