We read with interest the review by Holder et al¹ on animal-assisted interventions (AAI) in oncology and agree with the conclusion that more randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are needed. We wish to draw attention to an important consideration in RCT design that is particularly relevant and complex for AAI studies: the choice of a control condition. Holder et al. noted that few AAI studies in oncology had control groups, and those that did faced practical challenges. Bias reduction, feasibility, and ethical considerations are among the many factors that influence the choice of control condition. Critical to the validity of the trial, the choice of a control condition should reflect the underlying study question. Our goal in this letter is to highlight the range of control conditions that may be appropriate for AAI in oncology and the rationale for using different controls.

中文翻译：

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信件：动物辅助干预研究中控制条件的选择

我们饶有兴趣地阅读了 Holder 等人的评论¹关于肿瘤学中的动物辅助干预 (AAI)，并同意需要更多随机对照试验 (RCT) 的结论。我们希望提请注意 RCT 设计中与 AAI 研究特别相关和复杂的一个重要考虑因素：控制条件的选择。持有人等。注意到肿瘤学中的 AAI 研究很少有对照组，而那些确实面临实际挑战。偏差减少、可行性和伦理考虑是影响控制条件选择的众多因素之一。对于试验的有效性至关重要，对照条件的选择应反映潜在的研究问题。我们在这封信中的目标是强调可能适用于肿瘤学中 AAI 的控制条件范围以及使用不同控制的基本原理。