Lecture 24: The Placebo Effect Flashcards
1
Q
Definition
A
- a substance/treatment that has no medical or therapeutic value given to reinforce patients expectations to get well
- a product of the mind
2
Q
Three reasons you would get better after visiting doctor
A
- the doctor really healed you
- you believed in doctors power to heal you (placebo)
- you just got better anyway
3
Q
Henry Beecher
A
- was an army medic during WW2
- observed soldiers not injected with morphine but with a placebo; soldiers then felt better
- researched placebo vs. real drugs
4
Q
“The Powerful Placebo”
A
- written by Henry Beecher
- argued that if company wants to sell drugs, needs to state if its superior to placebos
- led to bill being proposed, makes it harder for companies to develop drugs
- however, drugs companies opposed, leading to bill not being passed
5
Q
Thalidomine
A
- marketed as a “safe” alternative to Dexatrine (amphetamines prescribed to pregnant women)
- safe for non pregnant people
- led to sever birth defects
- due to lax drug regulations and lack of drug tests
6
Q
Dietary Supplement and Health Education Act, 1994
A
- have to put disclaimer on drug if it does not have any therapeutic value
- eg Airborne
7
Q
Blind Studies
A
- blind studies led to double blind studies where the doctor and the individual do not know who was given a drug and a placebo
- three groups: treated group, placebo group, and untreated group
- doctors started to ignore untreated group, no one to see who’s getting better anyway
8
Q
Pain in relation to placebo effect
A
- prostaglandins send signal to brain to stop whatever is causing pain; prostaglandins (bad) go up causing more pain, endorphins (good) go down
- placebos work to increase endorphins and decrease prostaglandins
- doctors help calm people down to help feel less pain
9
Q
Why are placebos getting stronger?
A
- drug advertising causing higher expectations in patients
- increase of endorphins at doctors office
