A second control group receives a treatment already in use. In some trials, another group will receive a placebo. Many times, participants do not know whether they received a new treatment, a placebo or a treatment already in use until the end of the clinical trial. In trials that test new forms of psychotherapy, one group may be randomly assigned to a new form of psychotherapy. Another group may receive a standard method of psychotherapy.
Clinical trials can become complex if they test combinations of medications and psychotherapy.
For instance, you may participate in a trial where one group receives psychotherapy and takes medications, another receives psychotherapy and placebo, and another group receives only psychotherapy. Usually, clinical trials that test antidepressant medications are conducted on an out patient basis. People who are admitted to the hospital for depressive disorders usually have symptoms that would exclude them from clinical trials, unless the clinical trial is specifically designed to include hospitalized patients. Every clinical trial involves a trade-off. This means that a study may not benefit you personally at the time of the clinical trial.