The placebo revisited: What we do, don't and maybe won't know

摘要

This Special Issue reports on the outcomes of an expert workshop on the placebo effect and its ramifications. The placebo theme remains 'in fashion' and whole conferences are dedicated to this topic. Perhaps the biggest added value of this particular event was its multidisciplinary approach; It brought together experts on a variety of topics such as for instance the history of the placebo, trial design, ethical, legal and regulatory aspects, but also some on less obviously related topics such as empathy and veterinary research. So the placebo topic was approached from a very broad angle and this greatly enriched the discussion.