Effects of Placebo Administration and Occurrence of Toxic Reactions

Abstract

Acceptable standards for evaluating the efficacy of new treatments have not as yet been generally agreed upon. Often investigators have published favorable reports on the action of pharmacological agents without adequately taking into account the extensive physiological changes that may follow the administration of placebos.¹ The present study was undertaken in an attempt to provide an approach for small-scale studies that would be as foolproof as possible and one that would have validity even when the sought-for therapeutic effects are not accessible to quantitative measurement.