Equipoise

Equipoise refers to a state of genuine uncertainty within the medical or scientific community about whether a new treatment or intervention is better, worse, or equally effective compared to existing options. This balance of knowledge ensures that researchers or clinicians do not knowingly assign patients to potentially inferior treatments, allowing for fair and ethical testing of new therapies. In clinical trials, equipoise is essential to justify conducting the study, as it reflects that there is honest uncertainty about the best approach, supporting the ethical principle of beneficence—doing scientifically sound research while protecting patient well-being.