Placebo effects and research quality

Abstract Currently, most pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatments require a demonstration that their beneficial effects are superior to those seen in a placebo control group. However, determining whether treatments are effective can be difficult. The nuances of social-cultural and personal-historical contexts can affect therapeutic outcomes and need to be considered in the research designs of studies using placebo control groups. Additionally, the research design of such studies should consider what is useful from a person-centered perspective, not just a regulatory perspective. In this chapter, we explore the implications of the placebo effect for the interpretation of results from randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials. We also discuss what clinical approaches and tools should be considered “good evidence” of a therapeutic effect that should move forward to clinical practice.