Medical law and ethics: clinical equipoise: practice question

A Forensic Medicine question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Forensic Medicine · Medical law and ethics: clinical equipoise

Sample item

A trial randomises patients between two treatments only when the medical community is genuinely uncertain which is better. Which concept justifies this?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

D. Clinical equipoise

Clinical equipoise means genuine uncertainty among experts about the comparative merits of the interventions, which makes randomisation ethical. Therapeutic misconception is a participant's wrongly believing the trial is for personal benefit.

Option by option

  • A. Informed refusal

    Informed refusal is the patient's right to decline and does not justify randomisation.

  • B. Therapeutic misconception

    Therapeutic misconception is a participant's error, not a justification of randomisation.

  • C. Distributive justice

    Distributive justice concerns fair allocation of burdens and benefits.

  • D. Clinical equipoise (correct)

    Correct. Genuine uncertainty among experts justifies randomisation.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is D, Clinical equipoise. Clinical equipoise means genuine uncertainty among experts about the comparative merits of the interventions, which makes randomisation ethical.

Why is "Informed refusal" not the answer?

Informed refusal is the patient's right to decline and does not justify randomisation.

Why is "Therapeutic misconception" not the answer?

Therapeutic misconception is a participant's error, not a justification of randomisation.

Why is "Distributive justice" not the answer?

Distributive justice concerns fair allocation of burdens and benefits.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Medical law and ethics: clinical equipoise in Forensic Medicine. Therapeutic misconception is a participant's wrongly believing the trial is for personal benefit.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Medical law and ethics: clinical equipoise?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic Medicine questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.