Last reviewed · How we verify
Placebo add-on
Placebo add-on has no active pharmacological mechanism; it is an inert substance used as a control or adjunctive treatment in clinical settings.
Placebo add-on has no active pharmacological mechanism; it is an inert substance used as a control or adjunctive treatment in clinical settings. Used for Adjunctive use in clinical trials or therapeutic contexts where placebo effect is therapeutically relevant.
At a glance
| Generic name | Placebo add-on |
|---|---|
| Sponsor | National Health Research Institutes, Taiwan |
| Modality | Small molecule |
| Phase | FDA-approved |
Mechanism of action
Placebo is a pharmacologically inactive substance administered alongside active medications or as a standalone intervention. Any therapeutic benefit derives from the placebo effect—a psychobiological response involving patient expectation, conditioning, and the therapeutic context rather than direct drug action. Placebo add-on formulations are typically used in research protocols or clinical practice to enhance perceived efficacy through psychological mechanisms.
Approved indications
- Adjunctive use in clinical trials or therapeutic contexts where placebo effect is therapeutically relevant
Common side effects
- Nocebo effect (negative expectation-driven symptoms)
- No pharmacologically-mediated adverse events
Key clinical trials
- Effect of Kinesio Taping Application in Addition to Pilates Exercises on Core Muscle Thickness, Cognition and Mental Fatigue in Individuals With Non-specific Low Back Pain (NA)
- Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Cardiac Autonomic Dysfunction (NA)
- Switch to Doravirine/Islatravir (DOR/ISL) in Human Immunodeficiency Virus 1 (HIV-1) Participants Treated With Bictegravir/Emtricitabine/Tenofovir Alafenamide (BIC/FTC/TAF) (MK-8591A-018) (PHASE3)
- Syk Inhibition in MItigating Lung Allograft Rejection (SIMILAR): A Trial to Evaluate the Safety and Tolerability of Fostamatinib in Lung Transplant Patients With Donor-Specific Antibodies (PHASE1)
- Effects of 2-Aticyto Complex and D-Ribose on Pain and Clinical Course in Patients With Fibromyalgia (NA)
- MYELOMATCH: A Screening Study to Assign People With Myeloid Cancer to a Treatment Study or Standard of Care Treatment Within myeloMATCH (MyeloMATCH Screening Trial) (PHASE2)
- Phase III Study of Induction and Consolidation Chemotherapy With Venetoclax in Patients With Newly Diagnosed AML or MDS-EB-2 (PHASE3)
- A Study to Investigate Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics, and Pharmacodynamics of AZD4954 in Healthy Adult Participants With or Without Elevated Lipoprotein (a) (Lp[a]) Levels, and Participants With Dyslipidemia (PHASE1)
Primary sources
Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.
| Source | Used for |
|---|---|
| ClinicalTrials.gov | Trial enrolment, design, endpoints, results |
Competitive intelligence
For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:
- Placebo add-on CI brief — competitive landscape report
- Placebo add-on updates RSS · CI watch RSS
- National Health Research Institutes, Taiwan portfolio CI