> Yes, but patients always consent to be randomized to the possibility of being treated with placebo.

This is false as a blanket statement. For specific categories like Cancer treatments, nobody is given placebo in Phase III for example, because their life/survival is at stake. For such clinical trials you prove the efficacy by comparing with the typical survival in other studies/other treatments (overall survival chart) like this: https://media.revlimid.com/wp-content/uploads/mm-hcp-overall...

Right, more correctly I should have said:

Yes, but in trial where patients may receive placebo, the patients always consent to be randomized to the possibility of being treated with placebo.

in a clinical trial setting or in general? I'm not sure about everyone else, but I sure wouldn't want the possibility of getting a placebo when I'm at the doctors/hospital.

trial only.

you would have to consent.

jonawesomegreen linked to a story about an FDA-approved fake treatment.