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A researcher argues: 'Since participants in placebo-controlled trials are told that they might receive a placebo and they sign the consent form anyway, it is ethically unnecessary to offer them the active treatment after the study ends.' Evaluate this argument based on the ethical requirements of placebo studies.
Question: A researcher argues: 'Since participants in placebo-controlled trials are told that they might receive a placebo and they sign the consent form anyway, it is ethically unnecessary to offer them the active treatment after the study ends.' Evaluate this argument based on the ethical requirements of placebo studies.
Sample answer: This argument is ethically flawed. While informed consent requires disclosing the placebo possibility beforehand, offering the active treatment to the control group post-study is a separate requirement designed to ensure ethical fairness, meaning the initial consent does not negate the researcher's obligation to provide access to the effective treatment once it is proven.
Key points:
- Evaluate the argument as ethically incorrect or flawed.
- Explain that pre-study informed consent and post-study ethical fairness are separate ethical requirements.
- Assert that researchers still have an obligation to offer the active treatment to the control group after the study concludes.
Rubric: Responses should evaluate the argument by stating that consent and fairness are distinct requirements. They must note that initial disclosure of placebo assignment does not remove the ethical obligation to offer the active treatment to the control group after the study ends to maintain fairness.
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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
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