this post was submitted on 18 Feb 2026
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In double-blind studies, the test administrators are made unaware which sample is real vs. placebo
Also, the nocebo effect is real.
deeply meaningless rant:
why do we need two words for placebo effect when it's just positive placebo and negative placebo, i know i know, the word placebo has an ingrained positive aspect in its root... but it's not like the english language ever gives a fuck about the roots of a word, it bastardises all words equally! why make an exception now?? why not just call it negative placebo!
It's because Placebo and Nocebo are not meant for english, but for clear medical communication, same reason Latin is used in the medical field, instead of plain English/Spanish/Canadian/etc. Both words are Latin, Placebo is
I shall pleaseand Nocebo isI will harm, and a doctor looking at those two words will, without a shadow of a doubt, know what has occured, if anything, to a patientthe whole point is nothing has occured though, or rather nothing medically solvable
No, the whole point is things occurred, but were not caused by a drug, but by the brain. It's still equally as valid.
Medical is mostly greek not latin.