placebo groupThe concept of a dummy group was used in clinical trials. A dummy was a substance that looked as similar as the experimental drug (such as dosage form, size, color, weight, smell, taste, etc.), but did not contain the active ingredients of the experimental drug. In some medical experiments, it might be a sugar pill or normal saline.
In clinical trials, there were scientific requirements for setting up a dummy group. It could be used to study the true efficacy of a new drug or treatment. By comparing it with the dummy group, the authenticity of the treatment effect could be determined, thereby helping to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the new drug or treatment. However, the setting of the dummy group was also controversial and could cause some problems:
- ** Treatment delay risk **: A new drug or treatment requires a series of trials and approval before it can be put on the market. The participants in the dummy group may have to wait longer to get real treatment, which may delay the control and treatment of certain diseases.
- ** Mental stress and emotional distress **: The patient has expectations for treatment. If he realizes that he has not really received treatment, this psychological gap may cause negative emotions to affect the treatment.
- ** More tests and monitoring burdens **: In order to assess the effectiveness of treatment, researchers often require participants to undergo various tests, measurements, and questionaires on a regular basis, which is a burden on time and energy.
- ** Safety risk **: Although the dummy rarely causes serious side effects, it may cause some minor discomfort symptoms such as headache, nausea, or fatigue. The participant should closely observe the body's reaction and report the discomfort in time.
For malignant blood cancer and tumor diseases, if there were alternative treatments available, in order to avoid the practical and ethical problems caused by the use of a dummy in a double-blind, randomly controlled clinical trial, it was only limited to the establishment of a dummy control in the case of maintenance treatment, additional trial design, auxiliary treatment trials, and no indication for the use of a treatment drug. In the vast majority of clinical trials of cancer drugs, the "sugar pill" group that was habitually considered as the "control group" did not exist. Instead, the "control group" was treated as the "control group". In the clinical trials of these control drugs, the "experimental drug" was often compared to the "standard treatment drug" that had already been proven effective.
At the same time, there might be some potential benefits to joining the dummy group. For example, after entering the clinical trial, the treatment drugs and tests were basically free, which could reduce the financial burden of the family and not worry about the shortage of hospital beds.
Where can I find English versions of placebo manga?The best place to start would be well-known digital comic stores like Comixology. They often have a wide range of manga in different languages, including English. Social media groups focused on manga can also be helpful, as members might share where they've found English versions of placebo manga.