What is a placebo and what if I get it?
A placebo is a sugar pill that does not cause harm or good. The decision about whether to use a placebo in a clinical trial is based on how serious the illness is, whether an existing treatment is available, and other considerations that ensure a high standard of ethics. In many trials, one group of participants get the new treatment while another group gets a placebo. This is done so that the new treatment can be compared with no treatment in similar people.