In line with our recent discussion of placebo effects, I came up with an
interesting way to challenge students about the necessity of the use of
placebos and control groups in Research Methods class today. I asked
them what they would think of a drug that was developed for men to re-
grow hair that allowed 28% of men to maintain their current hair count
and 47% to be rated as improved by clinical doctors and had no known
side effects. Would it be worth the money to take a virtually 50-50
chance that you could improve your hair growth?
Guess what? There is such a drug. It is known by its generic name,
Placebo, and it was used in clinical trials of the drug Propecia. The
drug itself showed results of 83% and 80% respectively. I think this
demonstrates pretty effectively the need for a placebo as a comparison,
the workings of the placebo effect and possibly other mechanisms that
might account for such results (e.g., clinical doctors being more
concerned about making a Type II error than a Type I error). Any other
ideas?
Rick
Dr. Rick Froman
Psychology Department
Box 3055
John Brown University
Siloam Springs, AR 72761
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.jbu.edu/sbs/psych
Office: (501)524-7295
Fax: (501)524-9548
"The plural of anecdote is not data."
- Roger Brinner, Economist, Data Resources International
