There was an interesting programme about the power of placebo on R4 recently.

http://www.badscience.net/2008/08/my-placebo-programme-on-bbc-radio-4/
http://www.badscience.net/2008/08/part-two-of-my-radio-4-show-on-the-placebo-effect/

Personally though I think there are huge gaps in the conventional approach to medicine - certainly from my experience with ME/CFS where they've basically washed their hands of me. Yes it's fantastic for treating many many things - but it tends to be severely lacking in terms of assisting with overall wellness/happiness/healthiness.

There also seems to be an increasing tendency to look for pharmaceutical solutions to any issues. I wonder why....

The placebo effect has been proven to work and yet it is ignored.......

That made my Monday 🙂

OK, so all placebo controlled trials (blinded or otherwise) are now, by default, useless.

Although I guess we could look at alternative therapies:-

Statins - drink beer, it calms you down
Viagra - look at STYs photos on the linked thread
Fluoxetine - don't read this thread - it is depressing
Zantac - stop eating curries

That made my Monday

OK, so all placebo controlled trials (blinded or otherwise) are now, by default, useless.

Oh jesus.........

The placebo effect is ignored as in a variation of it could be a possible treatment in itself. Giving someone a sugar pill and telling them that it will work and being positive about the best possible outcome are not too dissimilar.

Doctors being taught to be more open minded, positive and to communicate better as this 'can' have a knock on effect on the mind which effects the body. "I shall please" is something that more doctors could do with adopting 😉

Grum beat me to it. HAve a look at the bad science blog and book.

The placebo effect is fascinating.

You have a point.

Had to happen eventually. (-:

Doctors being taught to be more open minded, positive and to communicate better as this 'can' have a knock on effect on the mind which effects the body. "I shall please" is something that more doctors could do with adopting

I noticed that two different doctors that I've seen in the last couple of years have finished the consultation with "...and these will make you better" or something similar.

The placebo effect is ignored as in a variation of it could be a possible treatment in itself.

We used to, actually. Doctors used to write prescriptions for 'red aspirin' - it was just chalk, no active ingredients.

These days treatment centres around "informed choice," where patients are told what they're taking rather than being lied to by doctors. If, theoretically, we were to go back to the idea of GPs giving out placebos, by definition we'd compromise that bond of trust (which is a placebo in itself). Is that a price worth paying?