Letters1 May 1997Zinc Gluconate Lozenges for Treating the Common ColdMichael L. Macknin, MD, Sherif B. Mossad, MD, and Sharon V. Medendorp, MPHMichael L. Macknin, MDCleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH 44195Search for more papers by this author, Sherif B. Mossad, MDCleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH 44195Search for more papers by this author, and Sharon V. Medendorp, MPHCleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH 44195Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-126-9-199705010-00016 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail IN RESPONSE:We do not agree with Farr and colleagues that the placebo used in our study resulted in biased results favoring beneficial treatment effects of the zinc lozenges. Patients receiving zinc lozenges who reported no side effects of the medication before the end of the study reported a duration of symptoms similar to that in persons with side effects. The number of placebo and zinc recipients who believed that their medication had helped alleviate their cold symptoms did not significantly differ. No clear pattern of movement was seen regarding a patient's guesses about which medication he or she was ...