Today’s News & Culture update:

I read a recent Boston Globe article, Warning Patients of Drug Side-Effects May Trigger Symptoms, that puts a twist on drug side-effects related to the nocebo effect, sometimes referred to as the “evil twin” of the placebo effect.

Globe health reporter Deborah Kotz writes, “Recent research has demonstrated that when doctors and nurses inform patients about a laundry list of symptoms that a drug can cause — such as headaches, anxiety, dizziness, and nausea — they may unintentionally trigger these symptoms via the power of suggestion . . .”

We’ve all watched commercials for drugs that list possible side effects. I recently saw an ad where the voice-over litany of horrible side-effects never seemed to stop while happy people danced in a field and carried on with a normal life in the background. The side-effects sounded far worse than the targeted problem. I could see viewers thinking, “Um, no, thanks, I’d rather just live with my condition.” Continue reading →