The placebo could've worked just because a doctor told them to take it. A lot of people feel better if they follow their doctor's recommendations, no matter what they are. They're cooperating with their care, they're following advice from a trusted authority, and maybe getting social support from the interaction. The next study should control for social influence and compliance with medical authority. In addition to the study arms used here, there should be a group that gets some sugar pills in the mail, with a note saying "These pills have no active ingredient, but we are interested in studying their effect on your disease. Please decide if you are willing to take them every day or not, and let us know." Assuming anyone agrees, I bet the placebo effect would vanish.

I remember reading about the Therac-25 incident in the mid-1990's, not too long after finishing my medical education. It was horrific. Patients severely burned by a machine that was supposed to help heal them, then not being believed by the staff. If I remember correctly, it took a long time before anyone investigated and found the cause.

You're thinking of basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, which are often caught when resection is curative. Melanomas, not so much. They can metastasize before you notice them.

The original poster was correct. Glaucoma causes high intraocular pressure, which if untreated will lead to vision loss and blindness. Medicated eyedrops will keep the intraocular pressure low and prevent blindness. Check it out.

again and again; it's old news by now. But there are a whole lot of people who just don't seem to either get it or care. Facebook is really good at exploiting that ancient "be part of the pack or else you'll die" thing that got us through the Pleistocene era.

That's like saying "going to a doctor for a second opinion is the same as consenting to the transcranial appendectomy he needs to do so he can make his next Porsche payment."

+1 funny

CT scanning is associated with an increased risk of cancer in children. This development will significantly lower that risk.

Regular ads at least kept a respectful distance, but using personal photos is just sleazy and lame, and the whole tactic smacks of cluelessness. I can't wait to see which companies are stupid enough to try this. It's like a honeypot for marketing idiots.

I haven't used FB in months, but have kept a minimal profile in case people use it to get in touch with me. Some 'active user' metric might help, but 'total users' can't capture the rise in zombies like me.

So glad the girl had the courage and skills to fight back and draw blood in what must've been a totally scary situation. Way to go!

Guy is a serious asshole. Prison inmates aren't kind to guys who go after kids.

...over who sees the data and who doesn't.

I see all you health insurance companies drooling, wanting to deny me shit. No DNA for you!

*handslap*

1. play 'Down With The Sickness' while recording kazoo track
2. mix with Audacity
3. add to some innocuous video (kittens, ponies)
4. upload video
5. ...
6. profit!

I can totally hear how this would sound!