The Placebo Project
THE “PLACEBO EFFECT” is one of the more compelling mysteries of medical science. It is an improvement in health which cannot be attributed directly to actual treatment. While its cause and nature are debatable, that it exists is undeniable. As such, in keeping with its mission of developing novel therapies, new research methods, and providing a better understanding of processes of healing, researchers at the Institute believe that this incompletely understood process of healing can be objectively investigated and a therapeutic agent, or agents, designed to deliberately induce it.
Based on known data, this is a realizable quest. There is ample evidence, for example, that psychological states affect health. Expectation, attitude, and degree of openness to healing may all influence the outcome of therapeutic intervention. As health can be measured by examining biochemical and bioelectrical markers, one’s state of mind may therefore be seen as creating or modifying these measurable parameters.
In addition, the positive effects of healing disciplines such as homeopathy and acupuncture are often thought to be placebo induced as they cannot be readily explained by current scientific models of healing. Understanding these energy-based modalities through rigorous objective study is yet another step toward fulfilling the aim of this project.
Aspects of this investigation include:
- working with an integrated team of practitioners and scientists expert in various disciplines to identify the biochemical, biophysical, and/or bioenergetic components of a placebo response;
- determining methods for objectively measuring a placebo response;
- designing experiments to artificially induce a placebo response as measured by the particular parameters to be elucidated;
- identifying specific inducers of the placebo response and evaluating them relative to dose, protocol for administration, other potential influences, and the resulting biological effect.
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