Ana – Portfolio #3

The placebo effect is taken in great skepticism among people.Scientist and doctors have been trying to prove its miracle mechanism even though they haven’t yet been proved by the current science. Several illnesses and health problems solved have been attributed to this powerful sugar pill, but there still are contradictions of what has caused it.

The Latin word, placebo, means “I shall please,” which denotes a positive meaning. This placebo treatment is mostly known as a sham medical intervention that leads the patient to believe in its effectiveness and, mysteriously sometimes the illness is cured. For example, according to a study of gastric and duodenal ulcers, placebo treatments, in many cases, were as effective as active drugs: Of the 1692 patients treated in 31 trials, 76% of the 916 treated with the drug were healed, and 48% of the 776 treated with placebo were also healed.

On the other hand, in 2001, a published study showed no evidence of important placebo effects, except in the treatment of subjective outcome, such as pain. Despite the contradictions, there are two main theories about how placebo effect takes place. First, it is believed that what occurs is a positive belief from the patient in which the treatment works and he will be healed; as a result, the patient tends to be biased and he really feels better,which shows an important role of the brain in the treatment of illnesses.

The second theory is that the positive effect caused by the placebo treatment is simply a conditioned response of the patient to the treatment. This conditioned response is a proven result of Pavlov’s experiment, where he rang a bell before giving food to a dog several times and after some time, when he just rang the bell the dog would salivate because he would associate the bell’s ring with receiving food, although there was no food stimulus whatsoever. Similarly, from conversations with the doctor, articles read, comments of other people, or any previous experience, the patient is led to believe that something is going to happen and it triggers his nervous system response.

In contrast, there are many religious people who believe that the placebo effect is nothing more or less than God’s invisible hand choosing their lives outcome. Meanwhile, other people think that placebo effect does not exist, and it’s simply a natural progression of the disease. In spite of all beliefs, what cannot be denied is that the placebo effect really occurs and it’s better to believe on it, so we may have this chance to be cured. As Shakespeare stated: “there are more things in heaven and earth, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”