Placebos

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful, I know that full well.                                                                  Psalm 139:14 (KJV)

I heard recently of a company’s clinical study about their treatment drug for migraine headaches. The company shared the results of the study in their advertising. Those participants that had received the studied medication indeed had fewer migraines per month than those who had received the placebo. However, the difference was small- about 2 less migraines per month. Based upon the study parameters however, this reduction was statistically significant. Therefore, the makers of the studied medication could advertise that their medication reduced migraines more than the placebo.

As I thought about the raw numbers, the difference in performance was minimal. Yes, based on the study parameters, the difference was significant, but the actual experienced difference was minimal.

All this is to say that the effects of placebos can be powerful. People who believe that they are receiving a remedy are often prone to experience some relief, even if the dose they received was just a sugar pill or a saline injection. The power of our mind, especially in regard to pain relief, is not to be minimized. If we are given hope, and attention, we often experience a curative effect no matter what the medication.

I recall a mentor from many years ago, a psychiatrist named Dr. Arnold Allen (a brilliant man, by the way), who cited studies about mental health treatment in the old state hospitals. He noted that studies of the newer psychoactive medications being trialed in the 1950’s, had to account for the effect of the increased attention paid to the patients in the trial studies. Just the fact that the patients were receiving increased attention from staff was indeed found to be helping in symptom relief, and it often resulted in more normal patient behaviors. It was not always just the effect of the medications in the studies.

So, our mind is a healing tool. Expectation of positive results often is healing in itself.

Prayer: Lord, you have made us in amazing ways! Amen