[LINK] Re: Double Blind Trials (Was to do with EMF)

[Kim Holburn]

On 2007/Jan/12, at 12:25 AM, Stewart Fist wrote:
> The reason why double blind trial are used, is not because of the  
> placebo
> effect, but because it is vitally important to rule out overt and  
> covert
> influence in recording the results by the investigator.
>
> It is a problem of the 'witness' not the patient.  It is well known  
> that
> investigators who believe in the efficacy of a new drug will either
> consciously/deliberately or unconsciously err on the side of recording
> positive results.
>
> Blind trials exist to stop this trend.

I hadn't thought about it quite like that.  Do you think then, that  
the placebo effect is just a virtual effect for the purposes of drug  
testing and not something that's really happening at all?

Kim

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Kim Holburn
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