Placebo Controled

I think most of us know by now that Placebos work to a point. This effect is mostly a reduction of perceived pain. I unfortunately can't find the article right now, but I remember a study that compared two placebos, one red pill and one green. The green pill seemed to perform better. This is likely because of the cultural concept of green as being a healing color, while red is more likely pain associated. I this this is the same pattern every placebo will follow.

It also seems that two different kinds of placebo will differ in their efficacy as well. In a study^[1] looking at sham acupuncture vs. an oral placebo pill, the sham device seemed to work better. Probably because of the current public perception of "ancient" medicines. Homeopathy is a huge market that keeps pushing farther into the mainstream while not having to stand up to the same standards of typical medication. Something else I find interesting is about a quarter of the patients experienced side effects from the treatments. These being side effects from sugar pills and sham devices. It seems a placebo could be designed that would make you feel ill as well. Read this news article for a more digested version.

I've also read a couple conflicting things about placebos in general. There is a story about a metaanalysis of 114 other studies looking at placebos. They didn't find any significant improvement in the symptoms of the placebo patients. From what I can tell they were looking at results from objective symptoms. I.E. did the patients blood pressure really go down? As a generalization, they conclude placebos don't do anything for objective symptoms. It seems like they still lend some credit to subjective effects, like perceived pain. Here, a contradictory story looks at real chemical effects that happen in the brain while taking placebos. Odd discrepancy. Placebos may help you feel better, but they won't cure you. I suppose a placebo has the potential to do what your body can already do for itself. It's true that some people can meditate to lower their blood pressure, but maybe not everyone?

I was asked to look into the efficacy of real acupuncture. As of yet I haven't been able to find the study that examines acupuncture vs. sham acupuncture in a large scale, but it does exist. When I dig up that study I'll do a write up. I will say now that I don't expect anything to come from acupuncture. I'd say it's just a placebo like any other. It just happens to be a very popular one right now.


References:

• [1] Kaptchuk, Ted J. Sham device v inert pill: randomised controlled trial of two placebo treatments. BMJ, doi:10.1136/bmj.38726.603310.55 (published 1 February 2006). British Medical Journal.