Placebo Effect

The placebo effect refers to the improvement in symptoms that a person may experience from an inert treatment that has no physiological effects, such as a placebo pill or sham procedure. This effect is attributed to various neurobiological and psychological factors, including the patient’s expectations and the clinician-patient interaction. Strategies in clinical trials to minimize the placebo response include single-blind placebo run-in phases, standardizing relationships between patients and study staff, and managing patient expectations.

The Nocebo Effect is the opposite of the placebo effect.