A doctor is testing the effectiveness of a new antibiotic. He gives the first group of patients a placebo, a second group receives antibiotic A while the third group receives antibiotic B. Which of the groups is considered the control group?
A) the group that received antibiotic A
B) the group that received the placebo
C) the group that received antibiotic B
D) both groups receiving antibiotic A and B

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The control group is the group that is used as a baseline for comparison. They do not receive the treatment being tested, in this case, the placebo group. By comparing the results of the placebo group with the other two groups, the doctor can determine whether the antibiotic is effective or not.

A Doctor Is Testing the Effectiveness of a New Antibiotic