Mommaerts JL, Devroey D. From “Does it work?” to “What is ‘it’?” Implications for CAM, Voodoo, Psychotherapy, Pop-Psychology and Regular Medicine. Perspect Biol Med. 2013;56(2):274-88.
Eerste auteur: Mommaerts JL.
Jaar: 2013
Type: Publicatie
Medline
Perspect Biol Med.
Abstract:
In this article, a ‘healing method’ (HM) is defined as any method intended to improve health through non-somatic means, even if it claims, at least in part, to ‘work’ somatically. For many HMs, there is mounting debate over the question: “Does it work?”; indeed, this seems to be the primary question for most stakeholders. Yet, in light of the well-documented effects of nonspecific factors such as empathy and the placebo phenomenon, we would contend that the more basic research question is: “What exactly is ‘it’?” Without investigating and answering this question, we assert that further scientific progress is impossible, and that research costs will spiral upwards without producing tangible results. Furthermore, it is not possible to characterize the potential side-effects of HMs without a full understanding of the underlying mechanisms through which they act. It is generally acknowledged that many HMs are socio-historical artifacts, based on underlying theoretical models that are divorced from established science. One key reason for this is that they have not been developed for being scientific, but placebogenic. There is a need for HM research that is congruent with accepted scientific practices and is also accommodating of the fluid nature of HMs – taking into account the aforementioned nonspecific factors. By comparing the influence of these factors explicitly to underlying theoretical models, new avenues of HM research will open up. “It works” is no longer an adequate justification for any HM, as ‘it’ often turns out to be a combination of nonspecific factors. In this article, we discuss the implications of furthering knowledge in this domain through rigorous scientific research. In the end, this is about the deeper layers of what it means to be human.