Atheist Age

Only the real placebo please

In Traditional Chinese Myth podcast and post we looked at the well documented placebo effect, and equally disproven efficacy of acupuncture. In short if you think you’re getting acupuncture it has a measurable effect. This holds true whether you are, or are not, actually being jabbed.

It’s very easy to develop an angry rejection of what may seem an intentional scam, particularly given the absolutely unambiguous nature of research. Chinese scoff at almost everything “ancient”, having learned the hard way that Western medicine is superior and Mao’s cheap “Eastern” medicine – whipped up in the 1950′s – is left to poverty stricken peasants. There’s little doubt many a con artist has made a fortune from the misery of gullible others. Thus it pays to be on guard.

Having said that, as a scientist and health professional I’m continually appalled at the intentional malignancy to be uncovered in accepted disciplines. Road trauma provides ample income for physiotherapists, occupational therapists, social workers, speech pathologists and indeed entire institutions. The bonus is that insurance pays for treatment. Ergo: Mrs Kafoofs will be booked in for dozens of pointless physiotherapy appointments that involve the mind boggling scientific complexity of…. a hotpack, at 130 bucks a fling paid for with driver registration fees. Having worked with severely brain injured clients it’s quite gut churning to note such trauma robs many patients of the ability to even form a sentence, or comprehend the intention of others, making detection of exploitation almost impossible. One persons vulnerability is anothers joy – I’m sure you’ve noticed.

No doubt readers can recall many recent cases of abuse at the hands of “therapists” and of course some of our nations top surgeons, such as suspended Alfred hospital trauma chief Thomas Kossmann. No prizes for guessing why nursing home management, brain injury therapy and pre-paid surgery is known as The Body Game. Think of it like winning a government contract to – oh gosh, say – provide new public transport services/technology. Take the money and run… all without a hint of woo-woo. Although, given Connex’s global status and track record Aussies are getting exactly what our dull brained state governments should have prevented.

So, in levelling the finger at con artists we’d be wise to remember it is the person/discipline/funding approach that leads to exploitation. With alternative [non reproducible in effect] medicine, skeptics and critical thinkers may be somewhat guilty of forgetting it takes two to complete a con, and indeed if one can afford to pay for pure placebo effect the “patient” is getting what they want. To this we may add that prescription sugar pills were a ready addition to medicines arsenal of treatment options for many years – and still make the odd appearance.

This last point is raised in an extended interview below, with Nicholas Humphrey. Thanks to RichardDawkins.net for the video playlist. In fact it raises again the simple fact that the placebo effect is at play in almost all treatments and noting the powerful effect absolute belief or indoctrination has on health and behaviour demands respect. Indeed, where do we draw the line at acceptable or dangerous practices? I’ve seen shattered lives transformed via conversion to biblical fundamentalism – much to my distress, I’ll admit. The cost may well be social/personal independence, free thought and the ability to choose lifestyle dynamics. But, the effect is very real. Of course problems arise immediately as the “saved” sets about saving others, alienating a great deal of the “godless” in the process.

There’s nothing saved, and no sin has been forgiven. Life has not improved because of supernatural intervention or “God’s favour”. The individuals mind alone has influenced thought to such an extent psychosomatic and behavioural changes evolve at varying rates. Sadly, only a small percentage snap out of it and grasp this fact. Just as acupuncture patients will continue to part with good money for naught but a little attention, those who really believe in God’s interception are unlikely to alter their ways. In fact, belief has the added flaw of fooling the believer into accepting misery and eternal torment will certainly ensue if they even entertain such wicked thoughts.

Nonetheless, it is probably vital in a steadily eroding “global community” that we once again begin to value just how influential our thinking processes are. As seen in the interview with Humphrey below, confidence in the placebo effect in and of itself is itself capable of eliciting change. Even when it is a known placebo. In our recent past alternative and real medicine were one and the same. The difference in prognosis was often down to “bedside manner”.

Richard Dawkins interviews Nicholas Humphrey

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Shermer poking around with acupuncture

Tags: Biology, Scam, Skepticism, Video