Dr. Arthur J. Barsky and his colleagues from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, published an article in the February 2002 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, suggesting that a phenomenon known as the "nocebo effect" might explain why some reports show adverse reactions unrelated to their treatment.

Many people may already be familiar with the placebo effect, where patients experience symptom relief after receiving inactive drugs or treatments. The term "placebo" comes from Latin, meaning "I shall please." In contrast, the nocebo effect is the opposite, where patients who believe they are receiving active treatment may experience adverse reactions when given a placebo. The term "nocebo" in Latin means "I shall harm." Some non-specific adverse reactions can have serious consequences. Some patients may discontinue treatment, and some doctors may also stop using effective medications. Dr. Barsky and his colleagues listed several factors that may be related to the nocebo effect and non-specific adverse reactions, such as negative thoughts, suggestions of adverse reactions, previous experiences with drug side effects, and states of anxiety or depression.

Therefore, the researchers believe that before attributing a symptom to a drug or treatment, people should first consider whether they have experienced similar symptoms before and how frequently they occurred, rather than jumping to conclusions.

Source: Chinese Medical News, 2002, Volume 19, Issue 20, Page 12.