Moerman defines the placebo effect as a meaningful and desirable psychological and physiological effect of treatment. In typical randomised control trials (RCTs) patients are randomly allocated to active treatment, placebo treatment and no treatment groups. If the placebo group does substantially better than the no treatment group, the difference is the placebo effect. Such trials show that all interventions, from a simple history taking to invasive testing, may have therapeutic value.
The giving of gifts is an ancient and ubiquitous human activity.However, when a patient gives the gift to her/his doctor, ethical considerations may arise.The author begins the article with the story of an elderly man who walks into the emergency department of a hospital in severe pain.The doctor on call treats him, promptly and kindly.A few days later the patient gives the doctor an expensive bottle of champagne.
Under pressure from pharmaceutical multinationals, among others, the government of India removed the phase-lag rule and now allows foreign pharmaceutical companies to conduct drug trials in India simultaneously with same-phase trials in other countries. The old rule was designed to protect Indians from being used as guinea pigs in the testing of unproved drugs of foreign origin; trials of domestically discovered drugs were not subject to this provision.
I was in India during the final phase of the Terri Schiavo case and was surprised at the media attention the case received.The news media failed to address the relevance to India as much as to US.In the three months since her death, much has been written about the issues."Culture of life" American physicians, bioethicists and lawyers thought that the law concerning termination of life-support was well settled after the Cruzan judgement in 1990.The religious right, pro-life groups have characterised the liberal movements (pro-abortion, the right to terminate life-support, physician-assisted suicide, etc.) as a "culture of death'!Only God can take away life.It follows then that, for the first time in its history, the US Congress on Sunday, March 20,2005, passed emergency legislation aimed at prolonging the life ofTerri Schiavo.
Clinical trials: a matter of principle Clinical trials: a matter of principle Clinical trials: a matter of principle Clinical trials: a matter of principle Clinical trials: a matter of principle While I wholeheartedly support the sentiments expressed by Dr Gulhati in his editorial (1), I have reservations about the data cited and the manner in which they are presented.Dr Gulhati cites several examples of unethical human research.There is not a single reference given in support of these 'facts'.It is possible that these data are factual; yet, without appropriate reference to the source, these examples become mere opinions.Moreover, in an academic journal, the facts should speak for themselves, there should be no hyperbole.There are many differences between the USA and India.Stating that '...women have been treated worse than animals in America' serves no purpose.
This article examines available evidence on the efficacy of the US medical malpractice system to promote safer medicine and adequately compensate patients wrongfully injured.Framework and goals of the system Framework and goals of the system Framework and goals of the system Framework and goals of the system Framework and goals of the systemThe social goals of malpractice litigation include deterrence against unsafe practices, compensation for injury through negligence, and exact corrective justice.The attorney acts as the gatekeeper by evaluating the prospective plaintiff's story, gauging the costs of bringing the lawsuit, and estimates the probability of success and the likely award.The functioning of the malpractice system is efficient in theory; the actual practice is more complicated.
The author describes the choices that he and his family made to make his father's death peaceful.His father's condition had begun to deteriorate rapidly from an illdefined dementing illness.The father had made his wishes clear: he did not want to prolong dying.
Clinical trials: a matter of principle Clinical trials: a matter of principle Clinical trials: a matter of principle Clinical trials: a matter of principle Clinical trials: a matter of principle While I wholeheartedly support the sentiments expressed by Dr Gulhati in his editorial (1), I have reservations about the data cited and the manner in which they are presented.Dr Gulhati cites several examples of unethical human research.There is not a single reference given in support of these 'facts'.It is possible that these data are factual; yet, without appropriate reference to the source, these examples become mere opinions.Moreover, in an academic journal, the facts should speak for themselves, there should be no hyperbole.There are many differences between the USA and India.Stating that '...women have been treated worse than animals in America' serves no purpose.
Lie et al. argue in favour of an alternative international consensus position which considers that it is ethically justifiable to conduct a trial in a developing country without providing the best worldwide standard of care, as long as: (i) there is a valid scientific reason and the treatment being evaluated is less costly or simpler; (ii) there is a clear social benefit for the developing country, and (iii) benefits outweigh the risks for the individual.
