The Science-Based Medicine blog was established way back in 2008. Since that time, contributors to this blog have been sounding the alarm about the harmful effects of pseudoscience and conspiracy the
The placebo effect is way overstated in popular culture compared to what medicine has proven.
A recent cochrane review showed the only symptoms it had a large body of evidence showing it worked was “pain” and “nausea”, both things we do not know how to measure so they are by definition subjective and patient reported. The placebo effect changes remarkably little in the body, all the changes are in the person’s perception.
The placebo effect is way overstated in popular culture compared to what medicine has proven.
A recent cochrane review showed the only symptoms it had a large body of evidence showing it worked was “pain” and “nausea”, both things we do not know how to measure so they are by definition subjective and patient reported. The placebo effect changes remarkably little in the body, all the changes are in the person’s perception.