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Inactive Placebo Oral Capsule

Medical University of South Carolina · FDA-approved active Small molecule

An inactive placebo contains no active pharmaceutical ingredient and produces no direct pharmacological effect.

An inactive placebo contains no active pharmaceutical ingredient and produces no direct pharmacological effect. Used for Clinical trial control / comparator (not a therapeutic indication).

At a glance

Generic nameInactive Placebo Oral Capsule
Also known asMicrocrystalline Cellulose (MCC), Placebo, Placebo, Sugar Pill, Symptom triggered benzodiazepines (e.g., Valium), placebo, Placebo
SponsorMedical University of South Carolina
ModalitySmall molecule
PhaseFDA-approved

Mechanism of action

A placebo is an inert substance used as a control in clinical trials to establish baseline efficacy and safety by comparison with active treatments. Any observed effects are attributed to the placebo effect—psychological and physiological responses to the act of treatment rather than the substance itself. Placebos are essential for blinded study designs to isolate true drug efficacy from expectation-driven outcomes.

Approved indications

Common side effects

No common side effects on file.

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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