The following passage is based on an article published in 1987.
Topic
Clinical vs. Theoretical Equipoise
Framework
Old vs. New / Problem vs. Solution
Main Point
OLD/PROBLEM -- theoretical equipoise, which holds that physicians can't take place in a drug trial comparing two different treatments unless they are equally confident in both options.
NEW/SOLUTION -- clinical equipoise is a more attainable, but still sufficiently robust, standard that means as long as there's good-faith dissension within the medical community (i.e. the medical community is still agnostic about which is the better treatment), then physicians have no ethical qualms participating in the comparative drug trail.
Summary
P1 - Background of Old
Author explains physicians' ethical standard (prescribe best treatment) and application of that standard to the thorny issue of comparative drug trials. Introduces the concept of theoretical equipoise.
P2 - The Old way is a Problem
The author explains the ways in which theoretical equipoise sets too high a bar, one that would make it too hard to start a drug trial or to complete one, once early evidence starts trickling in.
P3 - The New Solution
The author outlines what clinical equipoise would be, a standard that would mean an individual physician can have a preferred treatment in a comparative drug trial as long as the broader medical community has not yet registered a consensus on a preferred treatment.
P4 - Implications of New/Solution
The author takes a victory lap explaining how clinical equipoise hits that Goldilocks spot of just ethical enough, just practical enough.