Nicotinic Acid Therapy in Old Age. The Placebo Effect and Other Factors in the Collection of Valid Data*

Comparison of the Effects of Heparin Sodium, Xanthinol Niacinate (Complamin) and 2‐dimethyl‐aminoethanol (Deaner) in Institutionalized Geriatric Groups*

“…Two patients were transferred elsewhere from the hospital and from the Refusal to take drug after 1-2 days of regimen 2 Refusal to take drug after thalidomide publicity 7 Attending physician withdrew patient from study after thalido- 4 Side effects from drug 1 mide publicity rest home, and the drugs had to be discontinued. Two patients refused to take the drug after only one or two days of the regimen, primarily due to a behavioral difficulty rather than any uncomfortable or bad effects of the drug.…”

“…Smith and associates (2) have pointed out that evaluation of clinical remedies in the aged is especially difficult. The placebo effect must always be carefully considered in these groups since frequently there is an overenthusiastic appraisal of medicinal improvements on the part of both the physician and the patient.…”

“…Smith et al (2) also noted in their study that one of the common problems of research in this category is the “drop‐out” of patients who either lose interest in taking the drug or can not tolerate it. Our study was begun before the recent FDA changes in requirements for drug approval and also prior to the “thalidomide controversy.” The study proceeded for the most part following these changes, but they affected it significantly, as discussed later.…”