The sugar pills named Obecalp-placebo spelled backwards-are already on sale in the U.S. as over-the-counter medication, costing $6 for a bottle of 50.
Its manufacturer claims that the pills help soothe the pains of childhood without the use of potentially harmful drugs.
However, an anti-pills group believes it increases the child's reliance on medication and could stop parents seeking help when necessary. They also believe that once the children grows up to realize the truth about pills, they could feel deceived and it could affect their level of trust they have for their parents.
Since the pills are classified as a dietary supplement and not a drug, the companies who manufacture the pills are not required to carry out their own clinical trials before putting it on the market.
However, such companies, like Efficacy, which market the pills in the U.K. and the U.S., can rely on results from previous trials where a placebo has been used, researchers noted.
