[publicfig]

You would be surprised at how many medicines on the market compare effectivity to placebo. It's mostly done in instances where there is a chance that the drug may not even work. By comparing it to a placebo, you're as close to as you can be to leveling the playing field to show it is more effective than doing nothing.

[andy_boot]

ofcourse this claim also included the wonderful phrase: "Up-to " implying that several trials were not so effetive

[maaku]

Or simply being aware of the fact that there is statistical variation.