tautologous, but highly patentable
From Derek Lowe's blog:
The actual mechanism of the placebo effect is a field of great interest and potentially great importance.
That's right: someday soon scientists may be working to develop a pill that can mimic the placebo effect.
Personally, I find this immensely cheering. I think I love this universe the most when it's operating at maximum ridiculousness.
Comments
Don't we already have pills that mimic the placebo effect? Or am I just restating the joke instead of laughing at it?
I don't get it. Why does "a field of great interest and potentially great importance" mean "a possible candidate for drug development"? Lowe is discussing academic research, not drug development.
Did you not read his whole post, did you misunderstand it, or are you just having a laugh?
Jesus Christ you guys are humorless pains in the ass (not you, Tim, although the answer to both your questions is yes).
No no, I should probably go under the "humorless" and "pain in the ass" rubrics too.
Actually, there is no reason why such a pill couldn't be developed. There has to be some neurological/physiological mechanism by which the placebo effect works (and not just for depression, as in Dereck's post, but in other more concrete illnesses as well), and this could be the target for a drug.
I am currently seeking investors for a line of products to be marketed as "PLACEBO BRAND" drugs. Clinically proven -- there is no more ubiquitous research finding than the positive effect of PLACEBOS. And by their very nature, there are no damaging side effects, since it is also known that these drugs have absolutely no physical impact.
I tell you this is an idea whose time has come.
Thank you, Zak. That was my point, and the basis of the joke, before it was ruined by sanctimonious pedanticism.
If you haven't heard it, the RadioLab episode on placebos is awesome.
http://www.wnyc.org/shows/radiolab/episodes/2007/05/18
Money anecdote: In every country in the world blue or purple placebo sleeping pills are more effective than red or yellow pills, save one. In Italy, for men only, blue pills are worse sleeping pill placebos because Italian men get AMPED when they think of the Azzuri.
Haha... that's fantastic.
NERRRRRRRRDS!
Sorry. Hopefully your joke has not really been ruined, and stands on its own merits.
When I first read your post I thought you were implying that Derek Lowe was somehow being an idiot, as in "hey everyone, look at this knucklehead who's going on about developing a placebo pill!" But I when I followed the link and found a perfectly smart blog post, I was disappointed.