Placebo安慰剂
A placebo is an inactive substance or treatment designed to have no therapeutic effect, used as a control in clinical trials to assess the effect of an investigational product. In translation, the term appears in protocols, informed consent forms, blinding instructions, and clinical study reports where it must be distinguished from active comparators and from the investigational product itself.
Angel Translation editorial reference · Confirm the rendering against your source and approved project terminology.
Check source meaning → confirm the preferred term → record approved variants and references.
Where this term appears
Placebo is encountered in clinical trial protocols, participant-facing materials, investigational product labels, statistical analysis plans, and study reports. Translators must ensure that the term is rendered consistently in blinded materials and unblinding documentation, and that wording for placebo-controlled studies does not imply that the participant will receive no medical care.
Translation checks
A common mistake is translating placebo as 'fake medicine' or using a term that suggests ineffective or negligent treatment, which can confuse patients and erode trust. In blinded materials, revealing or hinting that one arm is inactive may undermine blinding. Inconsistent translation between subject-facing text and statistical reports also creates review issues.
Keep the term aligned across your files
Check intended use, warnings, document versions and approved terminology with the project team. Translation supports documentation; it does not establish product approval or regulatory acceptance.
Provide approved terms and previous translations with the source files. Agree how variants, ambiguous wording and revisions will be reviewed. Terminology maintenance and any termbase handback are confirmed in the project scope. See the 8-step AI + expert workflow.
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Read the published project →Published scope shows related industry experience; it does not confirm that this specific term was used or reviewed in the project.
Working on life science documentation?
Include the source and target languages, file types, intended use, deadline and any approved termbase. Agree handling before sending sensitive files. Acknowledged in 4 hours, quoted in 24.
Prepare an inquiry email →Life Science solutions →File handling →A glossary entry is not an official standard or evidence of regulatory acceptance. Confirm current requirements for your project separately.