Quote:
Originally Posted by moonrambler  In drug trials, it's a problem even with placebo-controlled groups, because as long as the people know what type of drug it is, a certain percentage of them will start having side effects. |
Placebos are interesting. People will respond more favorably to placebos if they thing it is an expensive drug than a cheap drug.
Is there a mental aspect to healing? Apparently so. Do we understand everything about the effect of mental attitudes on the ability of the body to mend itself? No.
That's why placebos are used in medical reseach.
But in the end, the drug works better than the placebo.
This is a microcosm of the debate on "science" on this board. The placebo can perhaps have dramatic effects on a small portion of the population, both for good or ill. The drug will have an effect on everyone. The exception is interesting, but shouldn't invalidate the more general experience.
I'd like to know more about placebos as well, but I won't discount the greater conclusion: there is no evidence that healing is entirely or even mostly mental, hence the approval of drugs, rather than placebos.