Is That A Sleeping Pill or a Sugar Pill?
I don't know whether this is good or bad, but the placebo effect apparently works. According to fastcompany.com, " A growing body of research shows that treatments ranging from sugar pills to the 'ritual of medicine''really do improve patient health." To Ted Kaptchuk , fastcompany.com reports, "the placebo effect is brought about by much more than sugar pills and saline injections. It's about the whole 'drama' or 'theater' of medicine--essentially the context of the encounter between patient and physician--as much as treatment itself." The Web site credits Kapchuk, who heads Harvard's placebo program, for "investigating placebos . . . and expanding the scope of the field." fastcompany.com quotes Kaptchuk, "The placebo effect is the effect of everything surrounding the fake pill, or the real pill. It's the compassion, trust, and care. It's the ritual and symbols. It's the doctor-patient inter...