A Primer on the Placebo Effect's Evil Twin by William Matthew London

William Matthew London reviews The Nocebo Effect: When Words Make You Sick, a collection edited by Michael H. Bernstein and colleagues that explores how negative expectations can produce real harm. The book examines biological, psychological, and ethical dimensions of the nocebo effect, offering insights for clinicians, patients, and media professionals on minimizing harm caused by suggestion and misinformation. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2025/10/a-primer-on-the-placebo-effects-evil-twin/ About the Author: William Matthew London is a professor of public health at Cal State LA and the editor of the free weekly email newsletter Consumer Health Digest. Subscribe to Skeptical Inquirer: https://skepticalinquirer.org/subscribe/