A placebo is an inactive drug or treatment used in a clinical trial. It is sometimes referred to as a “sugar pill.” A placebo-controlled trial compares a new treatment with a placebo to see if it is more effective. The chance of receiving placebo versus active drug varies from trial to trial and can be anywhere from a 1 in 10 chance (10%) to a 1 in 2 chance (50%). This information will be presented to you during the Informed Consent process.