In double-blind clinical trials, is there a common drug put into the placebo group and the test groups drug to test to make sure the participants are taking the drug correctly? [more inside]
posted by ilovehistory on Feb 5, 2009 - 5 answers

How long did it take you to adjust to taking Synthroid/levothyroxine? I just began taking 25mcg this week and I'm feeling weirder by the day! I've tried googling for info, but all I can find is hysteria-filled message boards claiming levothyroxine is manufactured by Satan himself.
posted by specialfriend on Dec 11, 2008 - 20 answers

Is homeopathy good for society? How should it be regulated? Are there any good studies to this effect? [more inside]
posted by Arcaz Ino on Nov 21, 2006 - 24 answers

Is it possible to buy placebos (sugar pills) online? I tried Googling and get nothing but music albums named Placebo. I want something that looks like a pill, not a Pez or Sweet Tart. The idea is to use it in a home experiment with some herbals and OTCs.
posted by zek on Jun 6, 2006 - 10 answers

PharmaFilter: is the placebo effect halved in a randomized trial when half the patients think there is only a 50% chance they are taking an active compound? [more inside]
posted by verisimilitude on Sep 7, 2005 - 35 answers

Part One: I've heard people say that the "close doors" buttons in elevators don't work. They certainly don't seem to do anything in my building. Do they not work because of poor design or are they literally (purposefully) not hooked up to anything?

Part Two: Are there other examples of mechanical (or software) placebos? I've heard that the "progress bar" you see when Windows boots doesn't actually mean anything. Microsoft just discovered that people were happier if there was some sort of animation going on while their computer was starting up.
posted by grumblebee on Oct 14, 2004 - 44 answers