How could the control group in a cancer drug study be effectively treated?

In a cancer drug study, the control group plays a crucial role in providing a baseline against which the effects of the experimental drug can be measured. Providing the control group with a placebo treatment is an effective method because a placebo can help to eliminate biases and account for the psychological effects of receiving treatment, which are known as the placebo effect.

The use of a placebo ensures that participants in the control group have similar expectations and experiences as those receiving the experimental treatment, thus helping to isolate the actual effects of the drug being tested. This comparison allows researchers to determine whether any observed effects in the experimental group can be attributed to the drug itself rather than other factors, such as participants’ beliefs, expectations, or the natural progression of the disease.

In contrast, giving no treatment at all would not provide a valid comparison, as it may lead to ethical concerns and would not account for the psychological effects mentioned. Administering a drug that is already known to be effective (such as option C) would not serve as a true control since it may provide benefits that could confound the results of the new drug’s effectiveness. Testing various dosages of the experimental drug (option D) would not establish a control, as it involves varying levels of the drug rather than