Schizophrenia research is receiving intense scrutiny from an ethical perspective.
Medicationfree protocols present a most vexing dilemma in that they greatly enhance the
opportunity for advancing knowledge but also raise the prospect of withholding known
effective treatment. In this article, we discuss the purpose of medication-free protocols in new
drug development and in nontreatment research. Potential benefits and risks associated
with drug discontinuation are evaluated, and methods for minimizing risk and increasing …