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>If used widely, advocates say, substituting some of the drugs we take for placebos could save billions of dollars in healthcare costs. Drugs are not the 'cost
by aaron695 11y ago
>If used widely, advocates say, substituting some of the drugs we take for placebos could save billions of dollars in healthcare costs.
Drugs are not the 'cost' per pill. It's all in development, so this is a silly point. Cost will go up, or part of the population will get slammed.
Placebo's are over rated. As such you have to be very sceptical of this article, it screams of alternative medicine. I wouldn't base much on this article alone.
http://www.dcscience.net/2015/12/11/placebo-effects-are-weak-regression-to-the-mean-is-the-main-reason-ineffective-treatments-appear-to-work/ http://www.dcscience.net/2015/12/11/placebo-effects-are-weak...
>In 1975, a psychologist in New York was studying taste aversion in a group of rats and got an utterly mystifying result.
I'd be very interesting if this was reproducible.
- sandworm101 11y agoReminds me of the story of the Vatican official sent to judge the miraculous healing properties of a shrine. He looked at the pile of crutches, canes and wheelchairs left by "cured" people. "What? No wooden legs?" Placebos can work in some narrow circumstances, but they cannot fix some basic problems. Pain relief? sure. But in place of an antibiotic? Expect a lawsuit.
- salgernon 11y agoI hadn't heard of the Vatican official story, but certainly many religiously minded people will use prayer as a self-regulated placebo. http://whywontgodhealamputees.com http://whywontgodhealamputees.com Which makes me wonder if some of the more faith healing type of religions end up being sued when the prayer doesn't actually produce results.
- sandworm101 11y agoThe story is meant to have come from Lourdes, which I believe the Vatican has failed to recognize as a legit miracle despite the location being a pilgrimage for many Catholics.
- fractallyte 11y agoThank you for that link - a relentless, yet sensitive, dissection of religion and Christianity. I have some creationist acquaintances who need to read this!