Last week’s New England Journal of Medicine paper on the placebo effect in evaluating asthma treatments was fascinating in itself. The editorial that accompanied it, however, was a delight. It asks clinicians to think less about laboratory measures of cure, and more about the patient’s satisfaction with treatment — whether the treatment was “real” or not.

This week’s guest, Dr. Daniel Moerman, wrote that editorial. His training in anthropology adds a refreshing viewpoint to his observations on clinical medicine. Let us know what you think by leaving a comment.

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