In the experimental evaluation of a new drug, what is the purpose of a placebo?
A) A placebo increases the sample size.
B) A placebo prevents errors in recording of the data.
C) A placebo removes the bias of the physician in charge of the experiment.
D) A placebo removes the potential psychological bias of the patient in the study.
E) A placebo prevents sampling errors from compromising the results of the experiment.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A placebo is used to eliminate the psychological bias of patients by making them unaware of whether they are receiving the actual treatment or not, thus isolating the drug's effect.

In the Experimental Evaluation of a New Drug, What Is