Is the placebo effect in some people’s genes?

By Lisa Rapaport (Reuters Health) - - Some people may be genetically programmed to feel better after taking placebo pills, while others may only heal with real drugs, suggests a new review of existing research. The study team looked at evidence that some people’s genes may make them more prone to experience the placebo effect. If true, and a genetic profile of such “placebo responders” could be identified, it might change the way medications are prescribed and the way clinical trials are designed, the authors say. "Our findings strongly support the idea that genetic signatures for placebo responses exist, but our findings are preliminary," said lead author Kathryn Hall, a researcher at Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.



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