Comments on: Costly Placebo Works Better Than Cheap One

By: Romeo Vitelli

Romeo Vitelli — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 16:22:55 +0000

It probably works the same way with newer drugs over older drugs (which also tend to be less expensive). Pharmaceutical companies have been making money this way for ages.

By: R N B

R N B — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 14:24:26 +0000

Yes, the bigger the placebo, the bigger the imagined effect. I'll quote from Dr Ben Goldacre:We know from research that four placebo sugar pills a day are more effective than two ... we know that salt water injections are a more effective treatment for pain than sugar pills, not because salt water injections are medically active, but because injections are a more dramatic interventionand the more elaborate placebo ritual was more effective than the simple placebo tablet.

By: Mike Haubrich, FCD

Mike Haubrich, FCD — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 13:52:41 +0000

Sure, King Aardvark, it’s a deal. If you front me the money I will pay you when I am cured.

By: natural cynic

natural cynic — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 13:35:28 +0000

Same thing happens with wine. The more expensive the bottle, the better it tastes – even if both come from the same source. To the the average wine drinker. Some afficionados can tell the difference.

By: King Aardvark

King Aardvark — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 13:20:41 +0000

Hey, Mike, I’ll sell you this bottle of water for ONE MILLION DOLLARS!!!!

By: Mark P

Mark P — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 13:20:04 +0000

This should not be news. I remember years ago a story about a software company that began lowering the price of its software. Up until a certain point, sales increased. After the software reached a certain level of cheapness, sales declined. This seems to be to be a different manifestation of the same phenomenon: perceived value.

By: Mike Haubrich, FCD

Mike Haubrich, FCD — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 10:22:54 +0000

This is why I always choose the more expensive homeopathy remedies. The cheap one just don’t work.