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Control: Placebo administration

Fundació Institut de Recerca de l'Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau · FDA-approved active Small molecule

Placebo administration produces therapeutic effects through patient expectation and psychological mechanisms rather than pharmacological action.

Placebo administration produces therapeutic effects through patient expectation and psychological mechanisms rather than pharmacological action. Used for Used as control arm in clinical trials across all therapeutic areas.

At a glance

Generic nameControl: Placebo administration
Also known asplacebo administration (sodium chloride)
SponsorFundació Institut de Recerca de l'Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau
ModalitySmall molecule
PhaseFDA-approved

Mechanism of action

Placebo is an inert substance or sham procedure that elicits clinical benefit via the placebo effect, which involves expectation, conditioning, and psychobiological pathways. It serves as a control comparator in clinical trials to distinguish true drug efficacy from non-specific therapeutic effects. The mechanism is primarily psychological and neurobiological rather than chemical.

Approved indications

Common side effects

Key clinical trials

Primary sources

Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.

SourceUsed for
ClinicalTrials.govTrial enrolment, design, endpoints, results

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