[LINK] electromagnetic fields effect brain activity

[Jan Whitaker]

At 01:04 PM 11/01/2007, Stewart Fist wrote:
>For instance, if placebo just means that the patient feels better having
>been given a pill, then why not say so.  Why give it a fancy medical term?

at least it's not an acronym

>Similarly, if nocebo just refers to the psychological effects, then call it
>hypochondria or irrational-fear, or whatever.

I hadn't heard this before, but it doesn't mean fear or hypochondria. 
It means taking medicine that should work, but doesn't because the 
person expects it not to. Placebos used in blind studies employ inert 
substances - sugar pills for example - and the placebo effect is the 
statistical part of the sample who get better even when they take 
those and not the treatment with the active ingredient. Whether or 
not it's the body healing itself or a psychological predisposition 
because the person thinks they are taking an active medicine is of 
course debatable.


Jan Whitaker
JLWhitaker Associates, Melbourne Victoria
jwhit at janwhitaker.com
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'Seed planting is often the most important step. Without the seed, 
there is no plant.' - JW, April 2005
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