Skip to main content

NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health^®

Follow NCCAM: Read our disclaimer about external links Read our disclaimer about external links

Placebo Effect

The placebo effect is a beneficial health outcome resulting from a person's anticipation that an intervention—pill, procedure, or injection, for example—will help them. A clinician's style in interacting with patients also may bring about a positive response that is independent of any specific treatment.

For Consumers

General Information

Message From the Director: Maybe it's all placebo?

(08/24/10)

Research Spotlights

Genetic Marker Predicts Placebo Response, a Recent Study Finds
(10/23/12)
The Placebo Response Occurs Outside of Conscious Awareness, Study Finds
(09/10/12)
Study Examines the Placebo Response in Patients With Asthma
(07/15/11)
Potential Roles of the Placebo Effect in Health Care
(06/27/11)
Benefits of a Placebo in Adults With IBS Do Not Depend on Deception, Study Shows
(12/22/10)

See all research spotlights

Multimedia

One Scholar’s Take On The Power of The Placebo (NPR;
01/06/12
)

For Health Professionals

Scientific Literature

Systematic Reviews/Reviews/Meta-analysis (PubMed®)
Randomized Controlled Trials (PubMed®)
Literature on Placebo Effect (PubMed®)