In an active-controlled trial, what does the control group receive?

• A. Receives the placebo
• B. Receives no treatment
• C. Receives the treatment
• D. Receives standard care plus placebo

Answer: (C)

Active-controlled trials compare two active therapies directly, rather than comparing a treatment to a placebo or to no treatment. The control group in this design receives an active treatment that serves as the comparator—an established or alternative therapy—to see how the new option stacks up in terms of effectiveness and safety. That’s why the best answer is that the control group receives the treatment (the active comparator).

This differs from a placebo-controlled trial, where the control group would receive a placebo, or from a setup where nothing is given. It also isn’t about adding placebo to standard care. The purpose here is a head-to-head comparison between two active interventions to determine whether the new treatment is at least as good as, or better than, the existing one.