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The Power of Placebos
Since the 1800s, the word placebo has been used to refer to a fake treatment,
meaning one that does not contain any active, physical substance. Today,
placebos play a crucial role in medical studies in which some participants are
given the treatment containing the active ingredients of the medicine, and
others are given a placebo. These types of studies help tell researchers which
medicines are effective, and how effective they are. Surprisingly, however, in
some areas of medicine, placebos themselves provide patients with clinical
improvement.
