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Therapeutic misconception is a problem for all research aimed at developing treatments for human diseases. The term "therapeutic misconception" was originally coined in 1982 to describe a fundamental confusion among research subjects and researchers alike between the goals of research (generalisable knowledge) and the goals of clinical care (improving the health of an individual patient)1. However, the phenomenon was recognised and documented as a set of misunderstandings among research subjects about scientific methods such as randomisation and placebo controls, and of underestimation of risk and overestimation of benefit of participating in medical research1. The latter is now sometimes distinguished as "therapeutic misestimation"2.
Dozens of studies have found that therapeutic misconception is pervasive. For example, Appelbaum et al. found that 31% of subjects in a research study had inaccurate beliefs about the nature of their treatment (e.g., that they would definitely receive the active treatment as opposed to the placebo because they told the researchers that this was their preference), and 51% had unrealistic beliefs about the nature or likelihood of benefit to themselves of participating in the study3. Lidz et...
Dozens of studies have found that therapeutic misconception is pervasive. For example, Appelbaum et al. found that 31% of subjects in a research study had inaccurate beliefs about the nature of their treatment (e.g., that they would definitely receive the active treatment as opposed to the placebo because they told the researchers that this was their preference), and 51% had unrealistic beliefs about the nature or likelihood of benefit to themselves of participating in the study3. Lidz et...
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