Overcoming the placebo effect in chronic pain research or using it in clinical practice

Welcome to the PainSolve survey on the placebo effect! We have developed this survey to determine the impact of the placebo effect in your own research and practice, as well as to understand strategies you have implemented to try and overcome it, or use it in clinical practice.

We very much appreciate your time – this survey should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete.

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* 1. How frequently do you observe the placebo effect in your own research/practice?

Almost all the time

Usually

Sometimes

Rarely

Almost never

Not applicable

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* 2. How well do your patients or healthy subjects in your studies typically understand the placebo effect?

A great deal

A lot

A moderate amount

A little

Not at all

Not applicable

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* 3. How is the level of knowledge about the placebo effect influencing, or even steering, the treatment difference between the active intervention and placebo in your experience?

More knowledgeable participants tend to be less affected by the placebo effect

More knowledgeable participants tend to be more affected by the placebo effect

Participants' knowledge of the placebo effect does not tend to affect outcomes

It is too difficult to assess the knowledge of participants to ascertain any effect on outcomes

Not applicable

Other (please specify)

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* 4. How have you used the placebo effect to optimise your research and/or treatment outcomes?

Create positive expectancy

Reduce negative expectancy

Convey a positive therapeutic message through informed consent procedures

Select patients based on treatment history

Harness sociocultural context to dispel any potentially harmful misconceptions

Other (please specify)

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* 5. Does the placebo effect present a significant issue to your research outcomes?

Yes, and I usually have to make adjustments to account for it

Yes, but I usually do not make adjustments to account for it

Not applicable

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* 6. What do you believe are the main issues caused by the placebo response in pain research?

Difficulties in interpreting data and judging the efficacy of interventions

Increasing placebo responses over time makes longitudinal comparisons more difficult

Longer study time required to assess effects

Difficulties in explaining to participants the role of the placebo response

Over-reliance on more objective measures than subjective outcomes

Increased time and resources needed to train patients to improve pain reporting accuracy

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 7. Please rank the following strategies for overcoming the placebo effect (either from personal experience or beliefs), where '1' represents the most effective strategy.
Select numbers or drag and drop to rank.

Participant training to improve pain reporting accuracy

N/A

Excluding participants identified as high placebo-responders

N/A

Increasing trial participant numbers

N/A

Lengthening study time

N/A

Utilising more/putting more emphasis on objective measures

N/A

Using a placebo lead-in phase

N/A

Assessing patients' expectations for treatment

N/A

Question Title

* 8. Please describe any additional ideas you have to overcome placebo effect in pain trials.

Question Title

* 9. Which, if any, particular strategies you would like to hear more about in a future webinar?

Participant training to improve pain reporting accuracy

Excluding participants identified as high placebo-responders

Increasing trial participant numbers

Lengthening study time

Utilising more/putting more emphasis on objective measures

Using a placebo lead-in phase

Assessing patients' expectations for treatment

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 1. How frequently do you observe the placebo effect in your own research/practice?

Question Title

* 2. How well do your patients or healthy subjects in your studies typically understand the placebo effect?

Question Title

* 3. How is the level of knowledge about the placebo effect influencing, or even steering, the treatment difference between the active intervention and placebo in your experience?

Question Title

* 4. How have you used the placebo effect to optimise your research and/or treatment outcomes?

Question Title

* 5. Does the placebo effect present a significant issue to your research outcomes?

Question Title

* 6. What do you believe are the main issues caused by the placebo response in pain research?

Question Title

* 7. Please rank the following strategies for overcoming the placebo effect (either from personal experience or beliefs), where '1' represents the most effective strategy. Select numbers or drag and drop to rank.

Question Title

* 8. Please describe any additional ideas you have to overcome placebo effect in pain trials.

Question Title

* 9. Which, if any, particular strategies you would like to hear more about in a future webinar?

* 7. Please rank the following strategies for overcoming the placebo effect (either from personal experience or beliefs), where '1' represents the most effective strategy.
Select numbers or drag and drop to rank.