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Placebo priming
Placebo priming leverages expectancy and conditioning effects to enhance the body's natural healing response through psychological and physiological mechanisms.
Placebo priming leverages expectancy and conditioning effects to enhance the body's natural healing response through psychological and physiological mechanisms. Used for Chronic pain conditions, Depression and anxiety disorders, Irritable bowel syndrome.
At a glance
| Generic name | Placebo priming |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Placebo, rocuronium-priming |
| Sponsor | Yun-Fan Liaw |
| Modality | Small molecule |
| Therapeutic area | Psychiatry/Neurology, Pain Management, General Medicine |
| Phase | FDA-approved |
Mechanism of action
Placebo priming involves pre-treating or priming patients with placebo interventions to activate endogenous healing pathways, including neurobiological reward systems and immune modulation. This approach capitalizes on the placebo effect—the therapeutic benefit derived from expectation and context—to potentiate subsequent treatment efficacy or standalone symptom improvement. The mechanism relies on classical conditioning, expectancy-driven neurochemical changes, and the patient's belief in treatment effectiveness.
Approved indications
- Chronic pain conditions
- Depression and anxiety disorders
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Parkinson's disease motor symptoms
Common side effects
- Disappointment or loss of efficacy upon disclosure of placebo status
- Ethical concerns regarding informed consent
Key clinical trials
- New Double Epigenetic Regimen in the Treatment of Relapsed or Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia (PHASE2)
- UB-312 in Patients With Synucleinopathies (PHASE1)
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation + Language Therapy to Treat Mild Aphasia (PHASE2)
- Safety, Efficacy, Immunogenicity Study of GSK Biologicals' HBV Viral Vector and Adjuvanted Proteins Vaccine (GSK3528869A) in Adult Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B Infection (PHASE1, PHASE2)
- A Study of APL-10456-Vaccine (EARLY_PHASE1)
- Epigenetic Enhancement of Cognitive Training in Aging Mood Disorder Populations (NA)
- Ketone Ester Intervention in Alcohol Use Disorder (PHASE2, PHASE3)
- Insulin-Mediated Glucose Uptake and Organ Perfusion Assessed by Total-Body PET During GIP and GLP-1 Infusion (NA)
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 priming CI brief — competitive landscape report
- Placebo priming updates RSS · CI watch RSS
- Yun-Fan Liaw portfolio CI