Last reviewed · How we verify
Placebo pill (for varenicline)
A placebo pill contains no active pharmaceutical ingredient and produces therapeutic effects solely through the placebo effect.
A placebo pill contains no active pharmaceutical ingredient and produces therapeutic effects solely through the placebo effect. Used for Control comparator in varenicline smoking cessation clinical trials.
At a glance
| Generic name | Placebo pill (for varenicline) |
|---|---|
| Sponsor | University of California, Los Angeles |
| Modality | Small molecule |
| Therapeutic area | Smoking Cessation |
| Phase | FDA-approved |
Mechanism of action
Placebo pills are inert formulations used as control comparators in clinical trials to establish the efficacy of active drugs like varenicline. They rely on psychological and psychophysiological mechanisms—patient expectation, conditioning, and natural disease course—rather than direct molecular action. In this context, the placebo serves as the comparator arm in varenicline smoking cessation trials conducted at UCLA.
Approved indications
- Control comparator in varenicline smoking cessation clinical trials
Common side effects
Key clinical trials
- Advancing VR-based Attentional Bias as a Biomarker for Tobacco Use Disorder (EARLY_PHASE1)
- Reward Sensitivity and Pharmacotherapy for Smoking Cessation (PHASE4)
- Switching to E-cigarettes in Smokers Not Interested in Quitting (PHASE3)
- Reducing Falls With Varenicline in Hypocholinergic Parkinson Disease (PHASE2)
- Varenicline for Treatment of E-cigarette Dependence (PHASE2)
- Nicotine Withdrawal Symptoms and Smoking Relapse (NA)
- UH3 Varenicline for Cannabis Use Disorder (PHASE2)
- Varenicline In-Patient Study (PHASE2)
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 pill (for varenicline) CI brief — competitive landscape report
- Placebo pill (for varenicline) updates RSS · CI watch RSS
- University of California, Los Angeles portfolio CI