Placebos, often referred to as sugar pills, are exact copies of a study medication with the exception that they contain no medication. Placebos assist in determining whether the studied medication is successful by comparing patients that receive medication versus patients receiving the placebo. Not all studies use placebos. The ratio of placebo versus actual medication varies from trial to trial, but generally 70% of study patients receive actual medication and 30% receive a placebo. The consent form identifies the actual chances of receiving a placebo for a particular study.