QUOTE
They say medicine is as much an art as a science. But sometimes it seems more like a mystery. Take, for example, a new study that shows that sugar pills work, even when patients know they’re taking them.
Placebos
The power of mind.
Placebos
Placebos
QUOTE
Placebo works, even better when known
So does porn, even better when known. Power of the mind indeed. 
Where did you get that quote with the word better in it?
QUOTE (orestis+Dec 25 2010, 07:29 PM)
Where did you get that quote with the word better in it?
Sorry I accidentally edited. It obviously wasn't copy and paste.
Patients tend to get worried if they fail to stick to a treatment regimen. Knowing full well that less than 100% adherence to medication will not alter the treatment outcome in the least bit is a great reprieve. Happiness boosts your immunity thereby making your bodies tackle disease better. The biggest placebo effect observed is religious beliefs. this is just IMO.
Sorry I accidentally edited. It obviously wasn't copy and paste.
Patients tend to get worried if they fail to stick to a treatment regimen. Knowing full well that less than 100% adherence to medication will not alter the treatment outcome in the least bit is a great reprieve. Happiness boosts your immunity thereby making your bodies tackle disease better. The biggest placebo effect observed is religious beliefs. this is just IMO.
QUOTE (rpenner+Jan 1 2011, 04:06 AM)
http://scienceblogs.com/mikethemadbiologis...rding_the_p.php
http://scientopia.org/blogs/whitecoatunder...o-me-would-you/
http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=9339
An example of the power that the internet has to keep bullshit from piling up.
http://scientopia.org/blogs/whitecoatunder...o-me-would-you/
http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=9339
An example of the power that the internet has to keep bullshit from piling up.
One of the more interesting studies on placebo I have heard about was reported recently in TV (Scandinavian non-commercial channel) so I have no official reference, and it was about body and mind.
The program reported among others a double-blind placebo-study involving patients with sclerosis, who underwent stem-cell brain surgical implantation vs sham-operation - so the study must be well known alone because of its controversy by involving a placebo group in this kind of treatment. (I do not recall finer details about exact treatment procedure - diagnostic and efficacy parameters etc)
The results demonstrated (not very surprisingly) a non-significant difference in the effect between the two groups - with same number of responders and non-responders, respectively. However - when the effects were analyzed in such a way that results were co-related to what the patient believed the treatment was, it could be demonstrated that those patients who BELIEVED that they had been receiving active stem-cell implantation responded positively as opposed to those who believed the opposite.
The same program also showed a case with a patient in a clinical study on anti-depression medication, who on suicidal purpose swallowed 40 pills of the test medication, and showed severe clinical symptoms on cardiovascular failure not responding to standard conventional treatment for about six hours. Eventually the test-medication was encoded as placebo, and shortly after that the patient was explained he had swallowed 40 sugar-pills, all his symptoms disappeared.
Everyone who have been professionally involved in clinical trials know about the placebo-effect, and also know how difficult it is to handle scientifically - because of its many pitfalls - but I have never heard of medical doctors involved in clinical trials not taking the placebo effect very serious.
Modern western medical practice is IMO too little focused on the benefits of placebo, and in many cases act counterproductive - examples of which are elaborate insert-labels - informed consents - downplaying the white-rock ritual etc.
Many patients will probably be better helped by an innocent alternative treatment as compared to a so-called rational western medicine with established adverse effects, provided of course that the diagnostic aspects are not being missed.
The program reported among others a double-blind placebo-study involving patients with sclerosis, who underwent stem-cell brain surgical implantation vs sham-operation - so the study must be well known alone because of its controversy by involving a placebo group in this kind of treatment. (I do not recall finer details about exact treatment procedure - diagnostic and efficacy parameters etc)
The results demonstrated (not very surprisingly) a non-significant difference in the effect between the two groups - with same number of responders and non-responders, respectively. However - when the effects were analyzed in such a way that results were co-related to what the patient believed the treatment was, it could be demonstrated that those patients who BELIEVED that they had been receiving active stem-cell implantation responded positively as opposed to those who believed the opposite.
The same program also showed a case with a patient in a clinical study on anti-depression medication, who on suicidal purpose swallowed 40 pills of the test medication, and showed severe clinical symptoms on cardiovascular failure not responding to standard conventional treatment for about six hours. Eventually the test-medication was encoded as placebo, and shortly after that the patient was explained he had swallowed 40 sugar-pills, all his symptoms disappeared.
Everyone who have been professionally involved in clinical trials know about the placebo-effect, and also know how difficult it is to handle scientifically - because of its many pitfalls - but I have never heard of medical doctors involved in clinical trials not taking the placebo effect very serious.
Modern western medical practice is IMO too little focused on the benefits of placebo, and in many cases act counterproductive - examples of which are elaborate insert-labels - informed consents - downplaying the white-rock ritual etc.
Many patients will probably be better helped by an innocent alternative treatment as compared to a so-called rational western medicine with established adverse effects, provided of course that the diagnostic aspects are not being missed.
The mystery deepens.
Placebo neg.
QUOTE
Poor expectations of treatment can override all the effect of a potent pain-relieving drug, a brain imaging study at Oxford University has shown.
In contrast, positive expectations of treatment doubled the natural physiological or biochemical effect of the opioid drug among the healthy volunteers in the study.
In contrast, positive expectations of treatment doubled the natural physiological or biochemical effect of the opioid drug among the healthy volunteers in the study.
Placebo neg.
Edit.
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