Will I Get a Placebo During a Cancer Clinical Trial?
Written by North Editorial Staff | Clinically reviewed by Laura Morrissey, RN, BSN | Last reviewed: September 2026
Will I Get A Placebo Instead of Real Treatment?
A lot of patients worry about this before joining a cancer trial. Here's the short answer: you will not be denied effective treatment to receive a placebo.
How It Usually Works
Most cancer trials don't replace your treatment with a placebo. Instead, they add something extra on top of your standard care:
Group A: standard treatment + new drug being tested
Group B: standard treatment + placebo
Everyone gets the proven, effective treatment. The placebo only stands in for the new drug–the one that isn't proven yet.
When a Placebo Is Used on Its Own
This only happens in rare cases, like when there's no standard treatment available for your specific situation. Even then, you're closely watched, and you'll get treatment right away if you need it.
You’ll Always Know the Details
Before joining, you'll be told:
Whether a placebo is used
Your odds of getting it
What you'd receive if you do
You can ask questions anytime, and you can leave the trial whenever you want.
You’re Protected
Every trial is reviewed by an independent safety board before it starts and monitored throughout, specifically to make sure patients aren't left without proper care.
Bottom line: Placebos in cancer trials are almost always added alongside your real treatment, not used instead of it. Have questions about a specific trial? Just ask us: support@northtrials.com
References
National Cancer Institute. Facts About Clinical Trials. https://www.cancer.gov/research/participate/clinical-trials/facts
National Cancer Institute. How Do Clinical Trials Work? https://www.cancer.gov/research/participate/clinical-trials/how-trials-work
National Cancer Institute. Are Clinical Trials Safe? https://www.cancer.gov/research/participate/clinical-trials/safety
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Cancer Mythbusters: Cancer Clinical Trials. Interview with Geoffrey Shapiro, MD, PhD, Director, Early Drug Development Center.
https://www.dana-farber.org/health-library/cancer-mythbusters-cancer-clinical-trials
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 21 CFR 50.25 — Elements of Informed Consent. Code of Federal Regulations. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-A/part-50/subpart-B/section-50.25