Bio-Medical Students - What Can We Learn From the Placebo Effect?

"A placebo can take the form of a sugar pill or even a fake surgery. It's often used to test the effectiveness of a trial drug. Ted Kaptchuk, director of Harvard University's Program in Placebo Studies and the Therapeutic Encounter, discusses potential applications for the healing power of placebos." from link below...

http://www.npr.org/2012/01/06/144794035/one-scholars-take-on-the-power-of-the-placebo

Tom sez - Research and Engineering Students - Please consider the Placebo Effect a springboard for new medical products.

You might find that some of your ideas are in the History of Quack Medical Devices.  Patients say they work.  Scientists say they are bogus.  Who is right?  Especially, in the areas of pain and depression, which are largely evaluated by the patient.  From what I know, there is no diagnostic test for pain or depression.

Please consider reviewing Quack Medical Devices - What can we learn from them?  How can the Placebo Effect be amplified?  How can the Nocebo Effect be minimized?

You are the future of medicine.  Do you want to make things patients say work....or not?  If a patient is satisfied, isn't that good?

Good Luck!