how-medicines-are-tested

GENUINE MEDICINE
We have seen how PLACEBO helps in healing.click here
USE2 of placebo
This topic shows scientific method adopted before calling a substance as ‘cure’ or ‘medicine’ or ‘healer’.

This is interesting because it shows the difference between Current or Modern Medical Systems and other Healing Systems or Medicines.

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HOW MEDICAL SCIENCE DECIDES WHETHER MEDICINE IS GENUINE AND BENEFICIAL? HOW MEDICAL SCIENTISTS STUDY EFFECTS AND SIDE EFFECTS ?
HOW TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN PROVEN TREATMENT AND UNPROVEN THOSE MEDICINES THAT ARE CLAIMED TO CURE WHERE YOUR HEALTH (AND WEALTH) ARE AT RISK?
Here we will see what is [i] Placebo that is used for Clinical trial, [ii] Random Double Blind Placebo Controlled Clinical Trial [iii] Active Placebo and [iv] Nacebo

[i] Placebo – Experimental Research Purpose

Placebo is used in Clinical Trial or Experiments to prove efficacy of a drug, often a ‘New Medicine’.
When Scientists want to confirm the effects and side effects of ‘New Medicine’ along with the  ‘New Medicine’ Placebo is used.  This study is done usually BEFORE the medicine is introduced in the market. Food and Drugs Control Department has to ascertain that the  ‘New Medicine’ does the work as the Manufacturer/Research Scientists claim.
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HOW SCIENTISTS STUDY EFFECT OF ‘New Medicine’?

EXAMPLE

Research Scientists give Actual ‘New Medicine’ to 100 patients of (let us call Group A) Group A. Other 100 patients (let us call Group B) receive ‘Look Alike of New Medicine’ called as Placebo and not the actual medicine.
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INTERPRETATION:

Those taking the ‘Look Alike of New Medicine’, Group B, will neither show harmful effects nor beneficial effects. This is compared with Group A patients who have used Actual ‘New Medicine’.  Those who have used the Actual ‘New Medicine’ will show beneficial effects of the ‘New Medicine’, as well as the side effects.

Since, beneficial effect or side effect is not seen in those who have taken Placebo, that is , ‘Look Alike of New Medicine’, Medical Scientists prove that the ‘New Medicine’ does produce effects as claimed by them. This study done by Research Scientists/Pharmaceutical Companies is scrutinized for veracity by regulatory body like Foods and Drugs Control and other Research Scientists working in the same way in other countries/universities.
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[ii] Random Double Blind Placebo Controlled Clinical Trial is where neither those giving the medicines nor taking the medicine know which is the Actual ‘New Medicine’ and Placebo. This eliminates the bias or pre-notion of both Givers and Receivers. Actual ‘New Medicine’ and Placebo have technically distinguishing marks, which tells later who received Actual ‘New Medicine’ and Placebo.
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USE2 Here is the definition of Placebo that is used for clinical trial

An inactive substance with no pharmacological action that is administered to some patients in clinical trials to determine the relative effectiveness of another drug administered to a second group of patients.

Source: Mentioned in: Saw Palmetto, Sildenafil Citrate
Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

USE2 Definition2 n

inactive substance or preparation used as a control in an experiment or test to determine the effectiveness of a medicinal drug.

Source: [2] The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003.
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[iii] What is ACTIVE PLACEBO?

active placebo -

Definition 1. a placebo used in experimental tests of a drug that has noticeable side effects; “an active placebo mimics the side effects of the experimental drug”

Source: Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2008 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

Definition 2. Placebos are also used in controlled clinical trials of new drugs. While some patients selected at random are given the new drug, others are given a placebo. Often this is an active placebo that mimics the new drug’s side-effects. Neither the patients nor the veterinarians know who is receiving the real drug. The patients taking the new drug must have significantly more relief of signs than the control group taking the placebo for the new drug to be considered to be effective. Placebos can produce an effect that is either positive, with improvement of signs, or negative, with worsening of signs or the appearance of adverse side-effects.

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