The claims made in the article kindly submitted here (which does, by the way, come from a pretty good source publication) far exceed what reliable evidence on the issue has shown, and is characteristic of the exaggerated misunderstanding of similar study results by the article author, Jo Marchant. Marchant writes in this vein in other publications, most timed to promote her new book Cure: A Journey into the Science of Mind over Body, but careful researchers who have examined the evidence disagree that the reported effects are real and meaningful.[1] A review of the book[2] agrees with me and with the whole planet that current medical care could emphasize empathy with patients more, but finds much to disagree with in Marchant's book after commenting on many things the reviewer liked about the book. The overall review summary is
"I can’t wholeheartedly recommend the book. Overall, it gives the impression that we know much more than we do. The studies described are very preliminary and far from ready for prime time; we know that preliminary studies are often overturned by larger, better-designed studies. I found some things in the book disturbing. I don’t condone her use of the term “Western medicine;” there is only one medicine. I was appalled that after a C-section she had a VBAC at home, giving birth to her second baby underwater with the assistance of a non-NHS midwife who she believed was less likely to transfer her to a hospital if something went wrong. In my opinion, that showed very poor judgment. She misrepresents the safety of home births. She even trots out the old “death by medicine” canard. She claims that statins may only benefit 1 in 50 patients (true, but misleadingly alarmist when taken out of context as statins do save lives).
"Conclusion: Marchant has interesting ideas, but a bad title"
[1] David Gorski, 11 January 2016, "Is 'harnessing the power of placebo' worthwhile to treat anything?"
"I can’t wholeheartedly recommend the book. Overall, it gives the impression that we know much more than we do. The studies described are very preliminary and far from ready for prime time; we know that preliminary studies are often overturned by larger, better-designed studies. I found some things in the book disturbing. I don’t condone her use of the term “Western medicine;” there is only one medicine. I was appalled that after a C-section she had a VBAC at home, giving birth to her second baby underwater with the assistance of a non-NHS midwife who she believed was less likely to transfer her to a hospital if something went wrong. In my opinion, that showed very poor judgment. She misrepresents the safety of home births. She even trots out the old “death by medicine” canard. She claims that statins may only benefit 1 in 50 patients (true, but misleadingly alarmist when taken out of context as statins do save lives).
"Conclusion: Marchant has interesting ideas, but a bad title"
[1] David Gorski, 11 January 2016, "Is 'harnessing the power of placebo' worthwhile to treat anything?"
https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/is-harnessing-the-power...
[2] Harriet Hall, 26 January 2016, "Cure Is About Caring, Not Curing: Placebos, Alternative Medicine, and Patient Comfort"
https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/cure-is-about-caring-no...