What is a placebo?July 10, 2018There is no consensus definition of a placebo or of the placebo effect. It is generally accepted that a placebo is an inert treatment with no direct physiologic effect on a patient’s disease or symptoms. Placebo effects, then, are effects associated with the administration of an inert treatment that are perceived as beneficial by the patient or that of observers.
SPONSORED CONTENTThe Case for Year-Round Heartworm Prevention and Affordable OptionsVeterinarians are often more than just clinicians - they’re advisors, educators, and, increasingly, financial counselors. In today’s economy, pet owners may hesitate to invest in year-round prevention due to budget constraints; but, skipping even a few months of heartworm protection can have serious consequences. + Learn More
When is surgery a placebo?December 20, 2016Skeptics often claim that acupuncture is just a placebo.1-4 However, these individuals typically have neither closely examined the methodology for neuroanatomic overlap between verum and placebo “points,” which makes outcomes between groups similar, nor have they assessed the tissue-deforming effects of so-called “sham” needling because they simply assume that sham needles are inert. They aren’t.
