I watched a documentary about the HPV vaccine that explained the placebo in that trial was the adjuvant (in that case a new more toxic aluminum salt) without the viral component. So the placebo group had the same side effects in about the same numbers as the vaccine group. A clever manipulation.
The placebo group's symptoms are not believable. Either they didn't use an innocuous placebo or they massaged the numbers. What was the placebo?
The placebo in vx trials is usually another vx. They never use saline because that would give real incontestable results.
Turtles, All the Way Down.
Great book!
I watched a documentary about the HPV vaccine that explained the placebo in that trial was the adjuvant (in that case a new more toxic aluminum salt) without the viral component. So the placebo group had the same side effects in about the same numbers as the vaccine group. A clever manipulation.