Patel, Vikram2019-09-252019-09-252011-03-102006-010975-5691http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12424/176796"In October 2005, editors of the IJME learnt that the British Journal of Psychiatry had published a report of a placebo-controlled trial of an atypical anti-psychotic drug. The drug was tested on 290 people experiencing an episode of acute mania. The trial was conducted on in-patients of eight health facilities in India. A letter raising questions about this study has been submitted to the British Journal of Psychiatry. It was also felt that the journal should carry a discussion on this subject. We therefore publish here a comment on the study itself, raising specific questions about the trial. This is followed by a comment on ethical issues in placebo-controlled trials in general. Finally, the corresponding author of the study has been invited to respondengWith permission of the license/copyright holdermedical ethicsBioethicsMedical ethicsHealth ethicsArticle