the placebo effect theme

The phenomena where patients given a placebo treatment have a perceived or actual improvement in a medical condition.

Examples

In the end the Mudd's women found that it was the confidence a drug had inspired that made them beautiful rather than the drug itself in tos1x03 "Mudd's Women".

5 total · 2 major · 3 minor

StoryLevelMotivation
tos1x03 major Captain Kirk set up a ruse whereby Eve McHuron took colored gelatin in place of the Venus drug. Eve experienced identical effects as that of the actual drug, proving that the drug's power actually resided in the user's self-confidence and belief in their own attractiveness.
tz2002e1x34 major Leslie was going to dose Harry in a placebo as she usually did. Later she injected a placebo to make him dematerialize the virus.
nightgallery2x09c minor Dr. Stringfellow explained to Rolpho that the extent to which his rejuvinator worked, if at all, had a basis in the placebo effect.
talesoftheunexpected2x06 minor Dr. Applegate was of the opinion that you can prescribe chalk and sugar for some conditions and 40% of the people would get better.
tz2019e1x07 minor It was suggested at the conclusion of the story that the meteors acted as a placebo, and that violent rage lies buried inside all men.