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Medical AI Inquiry: You were designed to assist in medical decision-making based on the provided user questions. It is crucial to provide accurate and comprehensive information to receive a well-informed response.
user
A clinical trial is conducted to determine the efficacy of ginkgo biloba in the treatment of Parkinson disease. A sample of patients with major depression is divided into two groups. Participants in the first group are treated with ginkgo biloba, and participants in the other group receive a placebo. A change in the Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) score is used as the primary endpoint for the study. The investigators, participants, and data analysts were meant to be blinded throughout the trial. However, while the trial is being conducted, the patients' demographics and their allocated treatment groups are mistakenly disclosed to the investigators, but not to the participants or the data analysts, because of a technical flaw. The study concludes that there is a significant decrease in MDS-UPDRS scores in patients treated with gingko biloba. Which of the following is most likely to have affected the validity of this study?
assistant
Pygmalion effect