Congratulations on an interesting study. However, is it not rather
unusual for placebo-related phenomena to be delayed by some weeks, as
appears to be the case only with the sham acupuncture?
This leads to some questions. Were the patients somehow cued that
the "business" part of the trial was being entered at the two week mark?
That knowledge may have stimulated the more favourable reporting for
the more intense, mysterious, and hands-on form of care, regardless of
any true "effect" of the placebo.
Also, was the extension of the trial only decided upon when the
intended two week study failed to show the expected results?
Rapid Response:
Case unproven?
Congratulations on an interesting study. However, is it not rather
unusual for placebo-related phenomena to be delayed by some weeks, as
appears to be the case only with the sham acupuncture?
This leads to some questions. Were the patients somehow cued that
the "business" part of the trial was being entered at the two week mark?
That knowledge may have stimulated the more favourable reporting for
the more intense, mysterious, and hands-on form of care, regardless of
any true "effect" of the placebo.
Also, was the extension of the trial only decided upon when the
intended two week study failed to show the expected results?
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests