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Abstract and Introduction
Introduction
In a recent issue of The New Yorker, Michael Specter wrote of the current surge in interest regarding the role of placebos in health care. The article described the history of placebo use, initially as a part of medical practice to supplement or replace active medications, and later in research where they typically serve as a neutral comparator. Interest in placebos has not been limited to the lay press. During the past decade, over a dozen papers have been published on the impact of placebo response in clinical trials. While most highlight the difficulties with establishing treatment benefit in the face of a high placebo response rate, others suggest a more positive role for placebos as a research tool. Among the papers are several suggesting that children and adolescents are more likely to respond to placebos than adults, making this a significant issue in the interpretation of pediatric research as well as an intriguing consideration for future study.
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