2 ms·
Apparently placebos are effective, even when you know it's a placebo. See http://www.placebo.com.au/node/31 http://www.placebo.com.au/node/31 for a reference to
by jonp 17y ago
Apparently placebos are effective, even when you know it's a placebo. See http://www.placebo.com.au/node/31 http://www.placebo.com.au/node/31 for a reference to research on this (on the site of a company that sells placebos...)
- roqetman 17y agoIt's kind of like band-aids for kids - they cure all manner of ills (even when there is no wound).
- nandemo 17y agoInteresting, but I'm skeptical. 'Non-blind' means that patients were informed that the pills they were issued were totally inert, that they were placebos, and in this case they were also assured that despite this the pills would be of benefit to them. The study concluded: 'The primary finding is that patients can be willing to take placebo and can improve despite disclosure of the inert content of the pills; belief in pill as drug was not a requirement for improvement.' They tell the subjects something that's bound to be confusing to most people. I don't know that there wasn't "belief in the pill as a drug". If the test were done only with subjects with a scientific background, or if they omitted the assertion about the benefit, it would be more convincing.