Placebo Response Reduction

Click on this link to learn how you can leverage WCG’s Placebo Response Reduction training for your clinical trial.

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PLACEBO RESPONSE REDUCTION

WCG has developed and validated the industry-leading Placebo Response Reduction training program.

High Placebo Response

Clinical trials with a subjective endpoint, that compare an active treatment to placebo, are plagued by the placebo response. This leads to a decrease in observed treatment effect and continues to be a primary reason for failed trials.

Industry Leading Placebo Response Reduction Training

Subjects’ expectation of treatment benefit is the major driver of the placebo response. Several studies have shown that intentional “neutralization” of subject and researcher expectation can reduce the subjects.

With over 50,000 subjects and study staff already trained, we are the industry leaders in delivering evidence-based, validated training solutions.

Proven to Work

In a systematic literature review, we found that interventions to neutralize subject expectations can reduce the placebo response in clinical trials.¹ A meta-analysis comparing placebo response rates in a trial that utilized our training versus other similarly designed trials showed that the trial using our training had the lowest placebo response (19.1%), when compared to the other similarly designed trials (mean = 36.6%).²

References

1. Lanier R et al., Interventions to reduce the placebo response in clinical trials: A systematic Literature Review. 32nd Annual APS Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA, USA 2017
2. Erpelding N et al., Implementation of a placebo response reduction training program in a randomized controlled trial in CLB pain: Comparison with placebo responses in published studies. 32nd Annual APS Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA, USA, 2017