JAMA Netw Open

Do open-label placebos make a difference for migraine patients?

October 13, 2025

While open-label placebos (OLPs) didn’t reduce headache frequency, they meaningfully improved patient-reported outcomes. These findings suggest that OLPs may serve as a low-risk, ethically acceptable adjunct for enhancing quality of life and reducing disability in selected migraine patients. Further research is needed to clarify mechanisms and identify ideal candidates.

Study details: This bicenter, randomized trial enrolled 120 adults with episodic or chronic migraine to assess whether OLPs administered transparently alongside treatment as usual (TAU) could reduce monthly headache days (MHDs) or improve related outcomes. Participants received OLPs twice daily for 3 months or continued TAU alone. Primary endpoint was change in MHDs; secondary outcomes included migraine days, pain intensity, disability, quality of life, and global improvement.

Results: OLPs didn’t significantly reduce MHDs or migraine days compared with TAU. However, patients receiving OLPs reported greater improvements in quality of life, reduced pain-related disability, and higher global improvement ratings. No differences were observed in pain intensity, rescue medication use, or 50% responder rates.

Source:

Kleine-Borgmann J, et al. (2025, October 8). JAMA Netw Open. Open-Label Placebos as Adjunct for the Preventive Treatment of Migraine: A Randomized Clinical Trial. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41060655/