Is it ethical to administer placebos in drug trials?

When you agree to participate in a drug trial, you are very aware that you may not be receiving the actual drug. It's all out in the open that you may be receiving a placebo.

Yes, a drug that will help with your cancer would be a money maker. But there's still that little thing that it would be helping with the disease. You know, that little thing.

i suppose Placebo would be okay if i was in a drug trial, but if i could choose any band i'd choose Guided by Voices

that's always been my understanding as well

There are plenty of reasons to be pissed at how the pharmaceutical industry operates.

Yours isn't one of them.

For legitimate reasons check out Marcia Angell's The Truth about Drug Companies.

Here's a summary: http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2004/jul/15/the-truth-about-the-drug-companies/

Using a recent example of a clinical trial of a new drug for treating rheumatoid arthritis, we argue that research participants who have burdensome, progressive disease should not be exposed to the risks of placebo-controlled trials. Historical controls and active controls may need more people in a particular trial but do not deprive patients of approved treatment.

Isn't ethical, but it is scientific.

Unfortunately, often times what's logical isn't also ethical. It's logical to kill every last human being in a war including children and non-combatants. Why let anyone survive who'll come seeking veangeance eventually? Very logical then to wipe everyone out. Not very ethical however.