The nurse is reviewing concepts related to medical research practices.
Which statement about the placebo is the most accurate?
The nurse is reviewing concepts related to medical research practices.
Which statement about the placebo is the most accurate?
A. Placebos are often used to determine if the client’s reports of pain are valid.
[25%]
B. Placebos are not used in research because the client has not given consent.
[3%]
C. Placebo use is unethical unless they are used in research with the subject's consent.
[64%]
D. Placebo use is illegal according to all states and the federal government.
[8%]
Statistics
Subject/Lesson
Subject
Leadership & Management
Lesson
Ethical/Legal
Client Need
Test Plan
Basic Care and Comfort
Related Topic
Non-Pharmacological Comfort Interventions
Item Type
Item Type
Knowledge/Comprehension
Explanation
Choice C is correct. Placebo use is unethical unless it is used in research, the subject of the study had full disclosure, and they consented to be a subject in the research study. The American Nurses Association, American Society for Pain Management Nurses, American Pain Society, and Oncology Nursing Society’s codes of ethics prohibit the use of placebos without client consent.
Choice A is incorrect. Placebos are not often used to determine if the client’s reports of pain are valid. This use of a placebo is prohibited ethically.
Choice B is incorrect. Placebos are used in research, and all client subjects of a research study must be given full disclosure and consent to be a subject in the research study.
Choice D is incorrect. Placebo use is not illegal according to all states and the federal government, but it is considered unethical.
Related Videos
2 Key Topics
Beneficence
15.10 Ethical Principles in Healthcare
Additional Info
✓ A placebo is any substance or intervention, including medications, procedures, or even surgeries, that exerts an effect solely due to the patient's belief or expectation, not due to any pharmacologic or therapeutic property.
✓ Placebos are considered ethically acceptable when used as controls in clinical research trials. In such cases, informed consent is mandatory, either from the participant or their legal guardian, ensuring transparency and autonomy in participation.
✓ Using a placebo in clinical care without consent—especially to question or dismiss a patient's report of pain—is deceptive and ethically inappropriate.
✓ Never administer a placebo without informed consent. Doing so violates the law, breaches professional ethics, and damages the nurse-patient therapeutic relationship.
