Echinacea Versus Placebo Effect in Common Cold (Physician Echinacea Placebo)

Completed · Phase 3 · Has a placebo group

Conditions studied: Common Cold

In brief

The design and interpretation of randomized trials is intimately connected to the use of "placebo". The nature and magnitude of placebo effects, however, is very poorly understood. This study will assess and compare placebo effects and physician interaction effects within a community-acquired common cold model. The goal of this study is to assess two kinds of placebo affects and how physician interaction effects; 1. The effect of receiving blinded placebo, compared to no treatment; and 2. The effect of receiving open-label active Echinacea treatment compared to blinded active treatment.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT00065715

Run by

University of Wisconsin, Madison

People needed

719

Starts

2003-09-01

Expected to finish

2013-04-01

Last updated by the study team

2014-12-04

Who can join

Age: 12 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Suspected or known cold
• At least one of the following cold symptoms:
• nasal discharge, nasal congestion, sneezing, or sore throat
• Enrolled in school, for children 12 to 17 years of age

You may not qualify if…

• Pregnancy;
• Symptom duration > 36 hrs
• Concurrent use of antibiotics, antivirals, nasal steroids, decongestants or antihistamines;
• Anticipated need for symptom-relieving meds during cold
• Autoimmune/deficiency disease
• History of allergic rhinitis with current eye itching/sneezing
• History of asthma w/current cough/SOB
• Prior study entry
• Allergy to Echinacea

Where it is running

• University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Family Medicine — Madison, Wisconsin, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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