By Julie Carrico, MBA, CCRC
In the office recently we were discussing newly published results of a studysuggesting that placebo treatments can in some cases be effective treatments, even when patients know they are receiving placebo treatment. A placebo, in case you don’t know the term, is a sham treatment that looks exactly like the active treatment – a sugar pill, if you will. This apparent power of the placebo is intriguing.
Although our site has never done a study where patients knowing received placebo treatment, we do have a lot of experience with studies where some portion of the patients will receive placebo treatment as part of the study design. These patients receive the investigational treatment in addition to the current standard of care for the medical condition. So while there is a chance the investigational treatment is a placebo, all volunteers receive the usual treatment and some might be receiving additional treatment via the investigational product.
In our experience, we’ve found that patients feel good about participating in studies, even if they know there is a chance of placebo treatment. The study provides an opportunity to educate all patients – those receiving active treatment or placebo – on the disease being studied. Many of our patients look forward to their visits and appreciate the extra time and attention our staff can provide. Given the close monitoring and the education research patients receive while on a study, it makes sense that patients on a study have better health outcomes.
One of our staff members put it perfectly when she described a meeting with a potential patient to discuss participation in a diabetes clinical trial. She told the patient: “I can’t guarantee the study treatment will improve upon the treatment you’re currently receiving, but I can guarantee you will learn a lot about your diabetes and how to manage it.”
The Clinical Research Center is currently seeking volunteer patients in studies for Alzheimer’s disease, Type 2 diabetes, and those with very high triglyceride levels.
If you are interested in learning more about clinical trials, contact the Clinical Research Center at 541-766-2163, or send an email to research@corvallisclinic.com or fill out our Research Study Information Request form. And, don’t forget to follow us on Facebook athttps://www.facebook.com/corvallisclinicresearch.
– Julie Carrico is Associate Coordinator of The Corvallis Clinic Clinical Research Center
