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Tracy Kolenchuk's avatar

I too have put a lot of thought into "placebo effect" over many years. My conclusion is, to many, simply shocking: placebo effects are entirely caused by the doctor. I offer the Webster's dictionary definition, with a bit of writing between the lines, as proof.

Webster: placebo effect

noun

: improvement in the condition of a patient that occurs in response to treatment but cannot be considered due to the specific treatment used.

Explanation (filling in the blanks) by

Webster: placebo effect

noun

1. improvement in the condition of a patient (observed by a doctor)

2. that occurs in response to treatment (administered or observed by the doctor)

3. (For which the cause is not known to the doctor - if the cause is known, it's a real effect of the cause, not a placebo effect)

but cannot be considered due to the specific treatment used (in the mind of the doctor).

If we remove the doctor and the doctor's opinion, we are left with a real improvement with an unknown cause. Every real improvement has a real cause.

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