I went to Novel Approaches in the Treatment of Depression at Mass General Hospital on June 14, 2014. Cristina Cusin, MD, gave a great lecture on The Role of Placebo in Clinical Practice. She shared some fun facts about placebos:
- Expensive placebos work better than less-expensive ones.
- Two placebos per day work better than just one.
- Blue placebos work best for sleep.
- Red placebos work best for pain.
- Brand-name placebos work better than generic ones.
- Placebos work best if administered by someone in a white coat.
- Homeopathic placebos work just as well as conventional-medication placebos.
- An injected placebo works better than a placebo pill.
- A surgical placebo works better than a placebo pill or injection.
- Placebos with unpleasant side-effects work better than those with no side-effects.
Bob