Placebos are scientifically shown to be effective 40% of the time against pain and depression. However, I haven’t found any studies that specifically compare the beneficial effects of a “name brand” Placebo versus a generic sugar pill. I suspect that this is one case where the name brand drug would be more effective than the generic version, despite both having the same “active ingredient.” Yes, I will accept a research grant to prove the point.
Reportedly, patients have even become “addicted” to placebos: According to an Internet paper by Ben Z. Krentzman, M.D., one patient ingested 10,000 placebo units in one year; another had a compulsive desire to take placebo tablets, tended to increase the “dose,” couldn’t stop taking the “medicine” without psychiatric help, and suffered “abstinence syndrome” when deprived of it—classic characteristics of drug addiction.
Quotation from Kenneth E. Legins, Is Prescribing Placebos Ethical?, American Council on Science and Health
really??????? placebo addiction????? that’s THE most bizarre thing i’ve ever heard/seen, altho i did see an albino black person in a subway in Atlanta, that was pretty bizarre….
fashion photographer pffft, i never promised a rose garden of good pictures lolol as a matter of fact my photography sux lol but i can live with that, just as long as i can have fun processing the crap pics
are you feeling better or no? CHRONIC bronchitis? how on earth did you come to such a lowwwwly state? was it… soap…poisoning? lol (a Christmas story reference)
The donkey loves sugar pills!
He is my real placebo, with good results!
chocolate is my placebo
It is not just that placebos are remarkably effective – they are becoming increasingly more effective and formerly potent drugs are becoming less effective.
I’d go with the generic brand. Just watch out for side effects.
Interesting article on placebos increasing effectiveness over here
I think a placebo for the common cold should be invented. (Currently suffering from a wicked cold.) I’m gullible enough to use it – and quite capable of wishful thinking. I’d contribute to a research grant for that – we could make millions!
Personally, I prefer homeopathic Placebo to the Big Pharma brands.
I think we hang on my any means possible, it’s just to believe and it’s enough…profound, my dear girl
only i can forget the difference between acute and chronic with one spin of the mouse wheel… sorry about that, i thought maybe you WERE a smoker or sumfin’ equally ‘bad girl’… no no, you’re a good girl, my bro has chronic bronchitis, well recurring anyway, i’m not sure if that means chronic either… meh, maybe i should just use fewer words in my comments, i will then sound more intelligent
Best “nock nock” joke ever!! I’m saving it.
Thanks.
But your brand name placebo will cost you $40 for 30 pills where as the generic is only $10. Things are getting so out of whack that a town near here (Washington, MO) requires a prescription to buy Sudafed!
Yep the inmates are really running the asylum now.
Great thoughts – as usually….so if 40 % can be cured by the mind – where is the research on how to do apply this treatment, and would you need a doc script to have access to it.
Hooked on Placebos….. ah, ya gotta love us human apes have you not! A wonderful piece today, Sera that had my mind runing away with thoughts. I guess there is an addiction for anything given the wrong frame of mind and circumstances. I’ll join you in that research project when the cheque arrives……
believe~` plays a part!! Check out Salitair! natural rock salt inhailer.. really helps clear the airways,and stops congestion occuring! though it is possible antibiotics are necessary for bronchittis!
that’s so cool, donating all that land for pretty spring flowers
have you ever been there? there’s botanical gardens around here somewhere, but i haven’t been in years, i wub flowers, i just don’t take pictures of them very often… i snapped a picture of the roses for sale at the grocery store the other day, put it up for valentine’s day’s pic… i love taking sneaky store pics 
Carrot juice?
The reaction to treatment also depends a lot upon whose writing out the prescription or the extent to which a kindly practitioner is prepared to listen and how you react to what you are told.
As actual medical outcomes improve so too does the placebo effect because of that collective heightened awareness to expect improved heath expectations.
In Africa the generic drugs have contributed hugely to vastly improved and beneficial heath outcomes at a tiny fraction of the cost of comparable westen brands but are equally effective.
Best wishes
Mankind can really be strange. Hope you are feeling better.
I do not care of these stuff. What doctor prescribes I take it , and it is covered . Not bad to be in Canada.
You mean that hasn’t been researched yet! If you get the research grant, give me a call and I’ll get to work on the first licensed products. With a slight amount of maple syrup added to the milk sugar, they will be uniquely Canadian.
If you want controversy, just mention to anyone using any homeopathic remedy that all peer reviewed research on homeopathy indicates the value is entirely placebo (not cheap though).
Lol, placebo addiction. can you imagine what would happen to these people if you gave them a real drug? Scary!
just a placebo addiction comment to your blog
Bien à toi !
Pfff… everybody knows Placebo is a band! So listen to a lot of songs and you will feel better.
Get well soon!
I am spitting mucus since weeks, must be an unheard phenomena. Placebo’s might work but I am not sure that I trust them. Is there a placebo for the placebo? In other words, is there a replacement for Obama, or do I just have bad dreams – not that I am a redneck or something, even though I look like one at times.
Sera, I am going to NYC to see Christian today, it is sort of odd, haven’t seen him since 5th grade. There is a Museum called “The Cloisters” somewhere at 126th Street or so, will park my truck there, take a placebo, take the subway … and hope for the best.
HAPPY VALENTINES my precious! Be well, Zee.
Interesting discussion in France for several years, the insurance reimburses only the medication for less! At first some people attached to their beloved club protested, now we hear no more…
Have a nice day, Sera!
it’s fascinating and hopeful. if we can learn to harness that effect…
are you feeling better sister? i’m missing your girly leonard cohen poetry
“My” (har har, I wish) site’s URL shows the Wall Street Journal doing a report on an MIT study on the effect in 2008. I was actually curious if such a thing existed and that was the first thing that popped up under “brand name placebo” in the google search engine. Your page isn’t that far under.
Actually turned out that brand names actually do “work” better. I wonder why that is? Perhaps the brand name uses a higher quality molasses?
Perhaps I’m a bit late to comment but I thought you’d guys would like to know, at least for the people who pass by the archive. Later.