The article asks: > “Why do we have a problem accepting when somebody says, ‘I feel better; that helped’?” And the answer is: 1. Because they are often sent

The article asks: > “Why do we have a problem accepting when somebody says, ‘I feel better; that helped’?” And the answer is: 1. Because they are often sent to say that by interested parties and maybe have their own biases (e.g. hoping the treatment to succeed, because that means their life will improve). 2. Because the people who don't feel better don't typically go around telling you about it. 3. Because feeling is subjective and fluctuates; and while it has its own significance, it is often independent of the state of underlying physiological conditions. 4. Because of past (collective) experience with many kinds of supposed cures or treatments which ended up not helping, or marginally helping, or having detrimental effects which weren't taken into account.