Compass is still being developed and is effectively in beta. Some content and features may be incomplete, change, or not work as expected.

Content is anchored to trusted sources where available, but Compass has not yet been clinically reviewed. It provides general information rather than medical advice.

Feedback helps us identify gaps, errors, usability problems and opportunities to improve Compass over time.

How Compass is developedGive feedback

Treatments and research

Placebo

A treatment with no active ingredient, given so the real one can be compared against it.

What it means

People often improve, or report improving, simply through being in a study and being watched closely. A comparison group receiving an inactive version is how a trial separates that from a genuine effect. Participants are usually not told which group they are in.

Why you might hear it

  • It is the part of taking part that people most often weigh.
  • Some trials offer everyone the active treatment after the comparison ends, and some do not.

People who may help

Where Compass goes into this

About this explanation

These are plain explanations of words you may come across, not advice about your own situation. Where a word matters to a decision, the question pages go into it properly, and your own team is the place to take it.