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What is a placebo?

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... placebo , inert substance given instead of a potent drug . Placebo medications are sometimes prescribed when a drug is not really needed or when one would not be appropriate because they make patients feel well taken care of. Placebos are also used as controls in scientific studies on the effectiveness of drugs.

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Get more facts and information about placebo . Or, view the full encyclopedia entry from The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition.

Similar questions: What type of drug is a placebo? Is a placebo a fake drug? Is a placebo an inert substance or drug? [ Hide these questions ]

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