noun
Medical term for a substance with no therapeutic effect, used in clinical trials or as a psychological treatment.
新薬の効果を調べるために、患者の一部に偽薬を投与した。
To test the new drug's effectiveness, some patients were given a placebo.
Katakana loanword for 'placebo', commonly used in medical contexts alongside 偽薬.
Compound of 偽 (false) and 薬 (medicine), literally 'false medicine'. The reading ぎやく is the on'yomi of both characters.