As to be expected in any new scientific field, there is considerable work to be done. A placebo can be used in two ways. One way is as a therapeutic procedure devoid of all specific activity that is given deliberately to have an effect on a patient, a symptom, a syndrome, or a disease. The second way is as a substance that is inert in relationship to a desired effect, but otherwise indistinguishable in appearance from a substance to be tested. Similar to active medications, they have time-effect curves, peak, cumulative, and carryover effects.
Surgery can also produce substantial placebo effects.
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