Expensive sugar pills “cure” more people than the cheap ones!
Surprise, surprise.
Want a sugar pill to work really well? Charge more for it.
A study published on Tuesday shows the well-known “placebo effect” works even better if the dummy pill costs more…
Eighty-five percent of volunteers who thought they were getting a $2.50 pill said they felt less pain after taking it, compared with 61 percent of those who thought they were getting a discounted drug.
The results fit with other studies that show charging more for something makes people value it more. But Ariely said the combination with the placebo effect was especially interesting.
Support your local pharmco, eh?
Posted: Wed - March 5, 2008 at 07:58 AM