On my beginner therapy training classes, I teach that therapists can achieve about 30% success rate due to some patients having a placebo effect.
(Placebo is a response to therapy or treatment that has no active ingredient, like a sugar pill, or pretend healing.)
I then explain the percentages of success I expect from students at higher levels of knowledge and ability - almost 100% success with certain conditions. Which shows successes my students achieve are not all placebo.
Now, the journal PLUS ONE says genes may cause some people to have a placebo effect. In patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) it was found that those with a type of COMT gene saw improved health after pretending to be given acupuncture.
Edzard Ernst, the University of Exeter professor of complementary medicine, said: "This is a fascinating but very preliminary result. It could solve the age-old question of why some individuals respond to placebo, while others do not. And if so, it could impact importantly on clinical practice."
A director of the Program in Placebo Studies and Therapeutic Encounter at BIDMC, Ted Kaptchuk said: "You can really see the advantage of a positive doctor-patient relationship."
I would add that, if doctors can't help a patient, and the patient is likely to die or be chronically ill for life, then why not send them to a Reiki or other alternative or complementary therapist?!
If we can help 30% of patients by placebo, who would complain?
Especially when we achieve much higher successes for many conditions anyway. :-)
(Placebo is a response to therapy or treatment that has no active ingredient, like a sugar pill, or pretend healing.)
I then explain the percentages of success I expect from students at higher levels of knowledge and ability - almost 100% success with certain conditions. Which shows successes my students achieve are not all placebo.
Now, the journal PLUS ONE says genes may cause some people to have a placebo effect. In patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) it was found that those with a type of COMT gene saw improved health after pretending to be given acupuncture.
Edzard Ernst, the University of Exeter professor of complementary medicine, said: "This is a fascinating but very preliminary result. It could solve the age-old question of why some individuals respond to placebo, while others do not. And if so, it could impact importantly on clinical practice."
A director of the Program in Placebo Studies and Therapeutic Encounter at BIDMC, Ted Kaptchuk said: "You can really see the advantage of a positive doctor-patient relationship."
I would add that, if doctors can't help a patient, and the patient is likely to die or be chronically ill for life, then why not send them to a Reiki or other alternative or complementary therapist?!
If we can help 30% of patients by placebo, who would complain?
Especially when we achieve much higher successes for many conditions anyway. :-)
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