title: The use of deception in public health behavioral intervention trials: a case study of three online alcohol trials.
abstract: Some public health behavioral intervention research studies involve deception. A methodological imperative to minimize bias can be in conflict with the ethical principle of informed consent. As a case study, we examine the specific forms of deception used in three online randomized controlled trials evaluating brief alcohol interventions. We elaborate our own decision making about the use of deception in these trials, and present our ongoing findings and uncertainties. We discuss the value of the approach of pragmatism for examining these kinds of ethical issues that can arise in research on public health interventions.
authors.affiliation: a London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McCambridge
authors.forename: Kypros
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kypri
authors.forename: Preben
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bendtsen
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Porter
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D008192:Deception; D003657:Decision Making; D032984:Ethics, Research; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000941:ethics*; D018579:Patient Selection; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D011634:Public Health / Q000941:ethics; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000941:ethics*; D012107:Research Design / Q000592:standards*; D035842:Research Subjects / Q000523:psychology