Preprint Low Dose Naltrexone for Post-COVID Fatigue Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial, 2026, Naik, Nacul+

[rvallee]

It’s true that you can’t define subgroups, but, am I completely mistaken, or shouldn’t we expect – in the event of any anticipated subgroups, say if, for example, 20–30 per cent of all pwME were true responders – that their would still be a clear positive trend towards the treatment, even if it might not be statistically significant?

I mean, how likely is it – or how minuscule would the positive effect have to be, even in genuine responders, for the difference to placebo being almost exactly zero in most categories?

Seems to me that trials like this answer the question about sub-groups. If there were any, they would be identifiable in the results, making the whole premise about identifying sub-groups pointless. That is, if the treatment worked, of course, which is the most likely explanation for why no sub-groups were identified.

But no such sub-groups have been identified at all yet, so the argument looks mostly like an attempt at rationalizing that is similar to what the psychosomatic cabal did over decades.

When something works, we'll know. There will be no need to squint hard and look at it at just the right angle with the right lighting.

 

[SugarSquared]

When something works, we'll know. There will be no need to squint hard and look at it at just the right angle with the right lighting.

Well said.