1. Are Placebos Harming Us?
The unknown dangers of placebo use.
By: Melanie Jenkins

2. What is a placebo?
A pill that is made up of inert ingredients manufactured for the act of taking a pill.
Often referred to as sugar pills or fake pills.
Designed so that a patient actively takes a pill in place of one that contains active medication.
3. How can placebos cause harm?
ClinicalTrials!
What is a clinical trial?

A clinical trial is an experiment that is set up to test subjects in a clinical setting using various types of treatments or medication.

http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/rmo0169l.jpg
4. Clinical Trial: How to
Two groups are used in a clinical trial. These two groups are decided at random and are scientifically controlled.
5. Processes of a Clinical Trial
http://www.themesotheliomalibrary.com/clinical-trials-overview.jpg
6. ButHow do clinical trials cause harm?
In order to understand how a clinical trial can cause harm lets look to a scenario:

A eighteen year old male has just discovered he has diabetes. He is approached to participate in a clinical trial that is testing a new, cheaper type of insulin to control blood glucose. He does not have a lot of money so consents to the trial. What if he is given the placebo and his blood sugar levels become unsafe? This could cause him serious and irreversible damage.