Active placebo
Active Placebo
Active placebo (/ˈæktɪv pləˈsiboʊ/) is a term used in medical research and clinical trials to describe a type of placebo that produces physical effects similar to the active drug being studied.
Etymology
The term "active placebo" is derived from the Latin word "placebo", meaning "I shall please", and the English word "active", referring to the fact that these placebos have active properties.
Definition
An active placebo is a substance that does not contain the therapeutic ingredient of the drug being tested, but produces similar side effects. This is done to ensure that the participants in the study cannot tell whether they are receiving the actual drug or the placebo, thereby maintaining the blinding of the study.
Usage in Clinical Trials
In clinical trials, active placebos are often used in double-blind studies where neither the participant nor the researcher knows who is receiving the active drug and who is receiving the placebo. This helps to eliminate bias and ensures that the results of the trial are due to the drug itself and not the participants' expectations or the researchers' influence.
Related Terms
- Placebo effect: The phenomenon in which a patient experiences a perceived improvement in condition due to their belief in the treatment, rather than the treatment itself.
- Nocebo effect: The opposite of the placebo effect, where a patient experiences a perceived worsening of symptoms due to their belief in the negative effects of the treatment.
- Double-blind study: A type of study in which neither the participants nor the researchers know who is receiving the active treatment and who is receiving the placebo.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Active placebo
- Wikipedia's article - Active placebo
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