Chapter 14, Problem 55E

$\underset{\_}{Exercises53}$ through $\underset{\_}{56}$ refer to a study conducted between 2008 and 2010 on the effectiveness of saw palmetto fruit extracts at treating lower urinary tract symptoms in men with prostate enlargement. (Saw palmetto is a widely used over-the-counter supplement for treating urinary tract symptoms.) In the study, 369 men aged 45 years or older were randomly divided into a group taking a daily placebo and a group taking saw palmetto. Participants were nonpaid volunteers recruited at 11 North American sites. All had moderately impaired urinary flow. Because the saw palmetto extract has a mild odor, the doses were administered using gelcaps to eliminate the odor. In an analysis of the 306 men who completed the 72- week trial, both groups had similar small improvements in mean symptom scores, but saw palmetto conferred no benefit over placebo on symptom scores or on any secondary outcomes [Source: Journal of the American Medical Association, 306(12), 2011, 1344—1351.]

a. Describe the treatment of the group in the study.

b. Explain why the experimenters took the trouble to cover the mild odor of saw palmetto to the point of packaging the doses in the form of gelcaps.

c. Was this study a blind, randomized, controlled placebo study? Explain.