Which statement best describes equipoise in clinical research?

• A. The placebo is always used
• B. There is genuine uncertainty about which treatment is better
• C. The trial guarantees equal outcomes
• D. The researcher believes one treatment is superior

Answer: (B)

Equipoise means genuine uncertainty about which treatment works better. In clinical research, this uncertainty exists among experts at the time a trial is designed, and it justifies randomizing patients because no one knows which option will actually help more. This ethical footing is what allows comparing treatments without knowingly giving someone an inferior option. It’s not about always using a placebo—placebos are used only when no proven effective therapy exists. A trial does not guarantee equal outcomes; randomization helps balance groups and reveals which treatment is superior over time. If a researcher already believes one treatment is better, that undermines equipoise and makes randomization unethical.