IS OBELCALP THE NEW WONDER DRUG?

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OBELCALP is PLACEBO spelled backwards, and is ‘code’ for a prescription of a sugar pill when submitted to the pharmacist; tricky but transparent, you might say, but it is tricky enough that actually most pharmacists no longer recognize the trick. The use of placebos is generally discouraged among physicians as it promotes a  skepticism among …

YOU’VE HEARD OF THE PLACEBO EFFECT…..NOW…THE NOCEBO!

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There is a fascinating article in the Sunday NY Times today about a little know doppleganger to the placebo effect….and it’s called the NOCEBO effect. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/12/opinion/sunday/beware-the-nocebo-effect.html In the placebo effect, the power of positive suggestion can make an inert medication have beneficial effects, but the contra-effect is also possible; by negative suggestion, we can see …