The Use of Control Group in the Sports Science Research: The Ethical Challenge

Gonçalo Louro; Ricardo Ferraz; Pedro Forte; José E. Teixeira; Luís Branquinho; Dulce Esteves

doi:10.6063/motricidade.27838

The Use of Control Group in the Sports Science Research: The Ethical Challenge

Authors

Gonçalo Louro University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
Ricardo Ferraz University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7530-512X
Pedro Forte Higher Institute of Educational Sciences of the Douro, Penafiel, Portugal https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0184-6780
José E. Teixeira Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Bragança, Portugal https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4612-3623
Luís Branquinho Higher Institute of Educational Sciences of the Douro, Penafiel, Portugal https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9000-5419
Dulce Esteves University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6368-2577

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6063/motricidade.27838

Keywords:

ethics of control group, placebo control, clinical exercise, Randomised controlled trial

Abstract

Medical ethicists have questioned the use of no-treatment controlled studies (placebo and sham procedure) of new therapies when safe and effective standard therapies are available for use as an active or “equivalence” control. Currently, ethical and conduct principles for biomedical research specifically prohibit projects that do not make or deny the “best-proven diagnosis and therapeutic treatment” to any participant in a clinical trial, including individuals who consent to randomisation into a control group. Studies of psychophysiological therapies are often criticised for not having a placebo or sham treatment control group. In sports science research, particularly in the case of clinical exercise, the use of control groups also raises ethical questions. This article briefly reviews the problem and discusses the ethical standards governing human research derived from the Nuremberg Code and the Declaration of Helsinki.

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Published

2023-03-30

How to Cite

Louro, G., Ferraz, R., Forte, P., Teixeira, J. E., Branquinho, . L., & Esteves, D. (2023). The Use of Control Group in the Sports Science Research: The Ethical Challenge. Motricidade, 19(1), 4–11. https://doi.org/10.6063/motricidade.27838

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Issue

Vol. 19 No. 1 (2023): Motricidade

Section

Research Note

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