Comments on: How to design a placebo-proof test for the efficacy of massage? Massage rabbits. http://boingboing.net/2013/01/19/how-to-design-a-placebo-proof.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Fri, 24 May 2013 20:30:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Al http://boingboing.net/2013/01/19/how-to-design-a-placebo-proof.html#comment-1632991 Al Mon, 21 Jan 2013 13:18:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=206688#comment-1632991 Did the cat report a lower number on the 1-10 pain scale when asked post-treatment? Did the cat report a lower number on the 1-10 pain scale when asked post-treatment?

]]> By: glittalogik http://boingboing.net/2013/01/19/how-to-design-a-placebo-proof.html#comment-1632844 glittalogik Sun, 20 Jan 2013 23:43:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=206688#comment-1632844 The only rabbit I've lived with used to randomly switch up his litter and food containers for poop and eating duty, didn't seem to be especially fussed as to which got consumed and which got soiled. That, and aggressively attempting to mate with the cats, was pretty much the entirety of his repertoire. The only rabbit I’ve lived with used to randomly switch up his litter and food containers for poop and eating duty, didn’t seem to be especially fussed as to which got consumed and which got soiled. That, and aggressively attempting to mate with the cats, was pretty much the entirety of his repertoire.

]]> By: Boundegar http://boingboing.net/2013/01/19/how-to-design-a-placebo-proof.html#comment-1632672 Boundegar Sun, 20 Jan 2013 14:01:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=206688#comment-1632672 Aha good point.  I get it. Aha good point.  I get it.

]]> By: sockdoll http://boingboing.net/2013/01/19/how-to-design-a-placebo-proof.html#comment-1632589 sockdoll Sun, 20 Jan 2013 05:34:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=206688#comment-1632589 I used to massage my rabbit faithfully all of the time, but he still sat around eating his poop all day. I used to massage my rabbit faithfully all of the time, but he still sat around eating his poop all day.

]]> By: chenille http://boingboing.net/2013/01/19/how-to-design-a-placebo-proof.html#comment-1632552 chenille Sun, 20 Jan 2013 03:01:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=206688#comment-1632552 Absolutely - but only when there's a sure way to provide a sure placebo. You may not know what's in a pill, but you can easily tell if you've been massaged or not. So if I wanted to learn if massage is effective or a placebo, what could I compare it against? That's what this is trying to solve. Absolutely – but only when there’s a sure way to provide a sure placebo. You may not know what’s in a pill, but you can easily tell if you’ve been massaged or not. So if I wanted to learn if massage is effective or a placebo, what could I compare it against? That’s what this is trying to solve.

]]> By: Boundegar http://boingboing.net/2013/01/19/how-to-design-a-placebo-proof.html#comment-1632488 Boundegar Sun, 20 Jan 2013 01:09:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=206688#comment-1632488 Why "eliminate" the placebo effect?  It may be impossible, or it may be possible to seem to eliminate, while simply mucking up the data.  Why not instead acknowledge the placebo effect and use it as the baseline?  If your meds work no better than placebo, well that's valuable data. Why “eliminate” the placebo effect?  It may be impossible, or it may be possible to seem to eliminate, while simply mucking up the data.  Why not instead acknowledge the placebo effect and use it as the baseline?  If your meds work no better than placebo, well that’s valuable data.

]]> By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2013/01/19/how-to-design-a-placebo-proof.html#comment-1632428 Antinous / Moderator Sat, 19 Jan 2013 23:10:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=206688#comment-1632428 This is innuendo, right? This is innuendo, right?

]]> By: Robert Cruickshank http://boingboing.net/2013/01/19/how-to-design-a-placebo-proof.html#comment-1632281 Robert Cruickshank Sat, 19 Jan 2013 19:58:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=206688#comment-1632281  If they start humming <i>The Barber of Seville</i>, run.  If they start humming The Barber of Seville, run.

]]> By: oasisob1 http://boingboing.net/2013/01/19/how-to-design-a-placebo-proof.html#comment-1632272 oasisob1 Sat, 19 Jan 2013 19:33:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=206688#comment-1632272 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rub_Rabbits! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rub_Rabbits!

]]> By: shinumo http://boingboing.net/2013/01/19/how-to-design-a-placebo-proof.html#comment-1632222 shinumo Sat, 19 Jan 2013 18:07:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=206688#comment-1632222 I thought this was going to report ion the efficacy of having rabbits do the massaging. I thought this was going to report ion the efficacy of having rabbits do the massaging.

]]> By: Chloramphenicol http://boingboing.net/2013/01/19/how-to-design-a-placebo-proof.html#comment-1632221 Chloramphenicol Sat, 19 Jan 2013 18:04:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=206688#comment-1632221 Research aside, I find rabbits to be therapeutic in and of themselves.  And my rabbit definitely loves to be massaged, or at least pet on his head and back. Research aside, I find rabbits to be therapeutic in and of themselves.  And my rabbit definitely loves to be massaged, or at least pet on his head and back.

]]> By: theophrastvs http://boingboing.net/2013/01/19/how-to-design-a-placebo-proof.html#comment-1632220 theophrastvs Sat, 19 Jan 2013 18:00:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=206688#comment-1632220 this sort of investigation will have to get to the gruesome level of massaging an isolated excised muscle before i'm convinced  (and it's pronounced Franken-steeen!) this sort of investigation will have to get to the gruesome level of massaging an isolated excised muscle before i’m convinced  (and it’s pronounced Franken-steeen!)

]]> By: Paul Renault http://boingboing.net/2013/01/19/how-to-design-a-placebo-proof.html#comment-1632207 Paul Renault Sat, 19 Jan 2013 17:38:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=206688#comment-1632207 Not necessarily placebo-proof - you'd have to see EXACTLY how the rabbits are being treated, both control group and massaged group. There was a study years back, trying to find the efficacy of some drug or other food regimen.  The tests were being conducted in a number of different labs at the same time. At one site in particular, the animals were doing much, much better than at other sites.  The researchers visited the site to see what/how the experiment was being conducted differently.  They found that the lab animal technician was following the protocols correctly but, unlike the other sites, at feeding time, she would pick them up out of their cages, stroke them, and talk to them. /Used to date a research veterinarian. Not necessarily placebo-proof – you’d have to see EXACTLY how the rabbits are being treated, both control group and massaged group.

There was a study years back, trying to find the efficacy of some drug or other food regimen.  The tests were being conducted in a number of different labs at the same time.

At one site in particular, the animals were doing much, much better than at other sites.  The researchers visited the site to see what/how the experiment was being conducted differently. 

They found that the lab animal technician was following the protocols correctly but, unlike the other sites, at feeding time, she would pick them up out of their cages, stroke them, and talk to them.

/Used to date a research veterinarian.

]]> By: Cari Rerat http://boingboing.net/2013/01/19/how-to-design-a-placebo-proof.html#comment-1632204 Cari Rerat Sat, 19 Jan 2013 17:35:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=206688#comment-1632204 A coworker was similarly convinced of the positive effects of acupuncture on pain reduction.  Her aging cat was markedly improved after an acupuncture session with her vet. A coworker was similarly convinced of the positive effects of acupuncture on pain reduction.  Her aging cat was markedly improved after an acupuncture session with her vet.

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