Placebos Work Better
Dr. Lauren Howe, investigates how social factors and patient expectations shape medical outcomes. In a feature on DW.com, she explains why placebos often have a stronger effect when administered by male and white physicians — a phenomenon that raises important societal questions.
Dr. Howe and her research team show that patients respond not only to the active ingredients of a medication but also to the person delivering it. Factors such as the physician’s gender, skin color, and demeanor unconsciously shape patient expectations — and can measurably influence treatment success.
Particularly significant: The findings shed light on systemic inequalities in healthcare and suggest that it’s not only what is being treated that matters, but who is providing the treatment. Dr. Howe emphasizes the importance of addressing these effects in medical training and practice to help build a more equitable healthcare system.
Supat Huynh