The placebo effect is stronger than most medicines. Why?

Written by Lucy Nguyen

The placebo effect remains one of the most intriguing forces in modern medicine. The placebo effect refers to measurable improvements in a patient’s symptoms after receiving a treatment with no active medical ingredient. Instead of relying on pharmacology, it operates through belief and expectation. Although often dismissed as “all in the mind,” research shows that placebo responses can produce real biological changes within the body.

Neuroscientific research has shown that placebo responses are rooted in real physiology. Placebos can stimulate the release of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and endorphins, which regulate mood and reduce pain. Brain imaging studies confirm that these effects are not imagined; they involve measurable changes in neural activity, particularly in regions associated with pain perception and emotional processing.

In pain management, placebo treatments have been shown to activate neural pathways similar to those targeted by opioid drugs. This effect has been observed in conditions such as chronic pain and migraines, where patients report positive symptom relief despite receiving no pharmacologically active medication. These findings highlight the brain’s capacity to influence bodily responses and regulate discomfort.

However, the claim that the placebo effect is “stronger than most medicines” requires careful clarification. Placebos are particularly powerful in treating subjective symptoms such as pain, fatigue or nausea. They do not eliminate infections, shrink tumours or correct underlying biological abnormalities. Many diseases still require active medical intervention. The placebo effect changes the experience of illness, not necessarily its root cause.

In addition, the placebo effect presents a challenge for clinical research. Strong placebo responses can complicate drug trials, making it difficult to determine whether new treatments are genuinely more effective than inactive alternatives. At the same time, this phenomenon underscores the importance of the doctor-patient relationship. Trust, reassurance and clear communication can significantly enhance treatment outcomes, even when the medical intervention itself remains unchanged.

Remarkably, placebo effects can persist even when patients are aware they are receiving an inert substance. This suggests that the expectation of care and the experience of being treated alone can influence the body’s response. Such findings challenge the assumption that belief-based effects depend entirely on deception.

The placebo effect reveals that healing does not purely rely on chemicals alone. It demonstrates that the human mind plays an active role in shaping physical experience. While it cannot replace essential medical therapies, understanding it allows healthcare professionals to deliver care that is both scientifically rigorous and more compassionate.