No shit? You really don't say!

BBC: Prayer 'no aid to heart patients'

Praying for patients undergoing heart operations does not improve their outcomes, a US study suggests.

A study found those who were prayed for were as likely to have a setback in hospital, be re-admitted, or die within six months as those not prayed for…

Heart experts said patients could benefit from feeling more optimistic.

That's right, a positive mental attitude really does seem to help you get better—unlike being prayed for against your knowledge. (For positive mental attitude, read placebo.)

Therapies such as prayer and homeopathy are widely used, although past studies looking at the impact of care on patients' health have had mixed results.

Prayer, homeopathy, faith healing, acupuncture, that weird shit they do by rubbing your feet, crystal healing, tai chi, blahdy-blahdy-blah…

All of them placebos.

See also: Getting beyond a joke

Richard Carter

A fat, bearded chap with a Charles Darwin fixation.

2 comments

  1. That reminds me of my favorite quote from a Chiropractor (another load of twaddle which somehow seems to have gained a certain acceptance even outside the credulous and rationally challenged) which I have mislaid for the moment but I can give you the gist of it from memory: "..Yes, that's why we never use double blind randomised testing anymore, it doesn't work. We tried it loads of times and it never gave us any positive results."

    I kid you not.

  2. Trivializing the power of prayer is all very well, but think of the commercial possibilities should it work. Not to mention the television advertising campaign with a voice-over by Sir. Riff Cliche. God forbid.

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