Placebo-controlled

The study compares the treatment against a dummy treatment.

Learning 

What it means

A placebo-controlled study includes at least one group receiving a placebo, so the treatment group can be compared against it.

Why it matters if you take part

It tells you a placebo group exists, so there is a chance of being assigned to it. The consent process will tell you the odds before you decide.

Related terms

Trials recruiting now that include a placebo group

568 recruiting trials in our Canadian corpus include a placebo group.

This explains how clinical research works. It is not medical advice and does not describe any specific condition or treatment. Only a trial site can determine whether someone can take part in a study.