Re: Research mistakes or conundrums? (Score 2)

The placebo effect does work! A friend of the family is a hypochondriac (I used to be a BAD one), and always has the same cold or disease as someone else. I told her that the trick to fending off hypochondria is to gently tap the underside of her chin 5 times slowly and the symptoms will go away. I don't think it's a question of whether the placebo effect works or not. Scientists know that it works; it's just an inexplicable phenomenon. My first /. post :)