A placebo (/ pləˈsiːboʊ / pluh-SEE-boh) is a medicine or treatment intended to appear genuine to its recipient, but which has no pharmaceutical effect. [1][2] Common placebos include inert tablets (like sugar pills), inert injections (like saline), sham surgery, [3] and other procedures. [4] LET can mean « allow », « give permission ».

Understanding the Context

Darling, I let you drive my car. (I don’t let you drive my car). I let you use my computer. I let you take a day off.

Key Insights

My father let me play with his computer. My parents let me go to the party tonight. My boss let me leave early today. Why did you let him do that? Placebo (/ pləˈsiːboʊ / plə-SEE-boh) are a British alternative rock band, formed in London in 1994 by vocalist-guitarist Brian Molko and bassist-guitarist Stefan Olsdal, who have remained the two constant members, with three full-time drummers throughout the band's existence.

Final Thoughts

A placebo is used in clinical trials to test the effectiveness of treatments and is most often used in drug studies. For instance, people in one group get the actual drug, while the others receive an inactive drug, or placebo. What is the placebo effect? The placebo effect is a phenomenon where people experience benefits from a medical intervention, like a pill or procedure, if they expect that it will work. A placebo is a fake treatment, which can have genuine therapeutic value, called the placebo effect. Examples of placebos include sugar pills and saline solution injections.

WebMD explains what the placebo effect is, how it works, and its potential benefits for medical treatment.