Honest placebos: can empty pills ease chronic pain?
NCT ID NCT07735520
First seen Jul 30, 2026 · Last updated Jul 31, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This trial tests whether taking a placebo pill that patients know is inactive — called an open-label placebo — can help reduce chronic pain from temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Some participants also receive a brief behavioral session to boost their expectations. The study focuses on whether this approach is feasible and acceptable, not yet on whether it works.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- open-label placebo pills (empty capsules) with or without an expectation-optimization behavioral intervention
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a simple, safe, and low-cost way to help people with chronic pain using the power of expectation, without active drugs.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small early feasibility trial, not designed to prove effectiveness. The placebo effect may not be strong enough to provide meaningful pain relief for everyone.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
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