Placebo in the guise of evidence-based medications

Year 2020, Volume: 29 Issue: 1, 75 - 88, 31.03.2020

Sergei Jargin

https://doi.org/10.17827/aktd.501826

Abstract

Placebo
therapy can be beneficial and ethically justifiable; but it is not a sufficient
reason to publish biased information. Certain journals are selecting reliable
reports but others are publishing biased materials and rejecting criticism.
Publication series of questional reliability are sometimes continued without
making references to published comments. Theories have been construed for
promotion of some drugs and dietary supplements without proven effectiveness.
This review is a collection of examples, when substances with unproven effects
and unclear action mechanisms are directly or indirectly presented by professional
publications as evidence-based medications. Some of the topics might be not
completely clarified, so that arguments provided here can induce a constructive
discussion.

Keywords

placebo, hormesis, nutrition, phytoestrogens, soy, osteoarthritis

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