Placebos also work when taken consciously
Freiburg researchers show that placebo drugs also work without deception / Patients were informed about the placebo effect in advance / Meta-analysis published in the journal Scientific Reports
As placebo drugs without pharmacological active ingredients, placebos are often used as comparators in clinical studies. Scientists from the Center for Mental Health at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg have now been able to scientifically prove that they can achieve surprisingly strong effects, even if the study participants knowingly take the placebo. The systematic comparison of 13 studies with a total of 834 participants showed a significant effect of consciously taken placebos as long as they were accompanied by additional information. The meta-analysis was published on February 16, 2021 in the Nature Group's open access journal Scientific Reports.
"Consciously taking a placebo may seem a little crazy, but it worked in these studies - making the deliberate deception of patients unnecessary," says Prof. Dr. Stefan Schmidt, Head of the Systemic Health Research Section at the Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg. "We have known for a long time that placebos without pharmacologically active substances can influence what happens in the brain or the hormone balance and achieve amazing therapeutic success," says Schmidt. Until now, however, the effect of placebos was attributed to the patient's expectation of an active medication. However, more recent clinical studies have provided initial indications that the deception about the placebo's lack of content may be unnecessary.
With the power of persuasion
In order to scientifically prove the effect of openly administered placebos, Schmidt's research team compared 13 randomized clinical trials with a total of 834 patients in a systematic review. The diagnoses treated in the individual studies ranged from back pain and irritable bowel syndrome to depression, fatigue, ADHD, hay fever and hot flushes. The patients were openly informed that they were receiving a placebo. They were also informed about the basic effect of placebos and asked to take the tablets regularly. According to Schmidt, the meta-analysis of the studies proved the astonishing effect: "For the first time, we were able to show with scientific certainty that openly administered placebos can also be effective." If openly administered placebos are also used in everyday clinical practice, they could bring additional openness to the relationship between practitioners and patients instead of deliberate deception.
Original title of the study: Effects of open-label placebos in clinical trials: a systematic review and meta-analysis
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83148-6
Link to the study: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-83148-6
Contact:
Prof. Dr. phil. Stefan Schmidt
Head of the Systemic Health Research Section
Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy
Uniklinik Freiburg
Phone: 0761 270-69280
stefan.schmidt@uniklinik-freiburg.de
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