Study shows: Corona vaccination reactions are often a nocebo effect

The nocebo effect is less well known than the placebo effect, but it plays an equally important role in therapies. We explain to you what the nocebo effect is and how it affects the vaccination reactions to Corona.

From the Placebo effect I’m sure you’ve heard it before: dummy drugs without active ingredients can work because you believe in their effect. In placebo-controlled studies, one group gets the real drug, the other only a dummy drug. However, the participants do not know which group they belong to. In such studies, scientists often observe that people in the second group also feel the effects of the drug – even though they did not receive it. That’s the placebo effect.

Drugs can not only have positive effects, but also undesirable side effects. Here it comes nocebo effect comes into play: When participants in the second group suffer from the side effects of the medication (which they did not receive), this is called the nocebo effect. Real medicines can also trigger a nocebo effect: If you know about the side effects of a drug, the nocebo effect can make you actually get them.

Incidentally, the “no” has nothing to do with the English negation. Nocebo is Latin and means “I will harm” – as opposed to placebo: “I will please”.

Example: In a study with 114 high blood pressure patients, the subjects were given a drug that can cause erectile dysfunction as a side effect. One third was informed about the side effect, another third was told the name of the drug and the last third received no information. The result: erectile dysfunction occurred most frequently in the first group and least frequently in the last group.

https://utopia.de/vernichtendes-oeko-test- judgement-waermepaste-sind-vor-alle-placebo-65026/

The nocebo effect of corona vaccinations

Scientists in the USA have evaluated twelve clinical studies on corona vaccination and came to a surprising conclusion: Two-thirds of the most common vaccine reactions should, at least for the first vaccination, triggered by the nocebo effect have been. With the second vaccination, the proportion is reduced to around 50 percent.

Headaches, fatigue, arm pain and other mild side effects are not due to the ingredients and modes of action of the vaccination, but to other factors that promote the nocebo effect: tension, negative expectations and the wrong assumption that any discomfort after the vaccination is also because had arisen from the vaccination.

The researchers recommend one better public education on the nocebo effect: First, because it can counteract the worries that arise from the education about side effects in the first place. On the other hand, unvaccinated people who had previously hesitated because of their fears of strong vaccination reactions could possibly be persuaded to get vaccinated.

Speaking to the Guardian, Ted Kaptchuk, one of the study’s authors, says: “Most researchers argue that patients should learn less about side effects in order to reduce their concerns. I believe that is wrong. The truth is the right way.”

Nocebo Effect: Known in research but not well researched

According to the medical journal, the nocebo effect is far less well researched than the placebo effect. However, it does exist and, according to WDR, can be detected, for example, via neurological abnormalities or changes in the hormone balance. Two studies with interesting results:

• Scientists from the University Hospital Hamburg have found that expensive or expensive-looking drugs are more likely to cause a nocebo effect. Interestingly, according to the program “terra x”, the same applies to the placebo effect.
• The placebo effect is more likely to occur in men and the nocebo effect in women. This was the result of a review of 18 studies. Why that is, however, is not entirely clear. The researchers suspect gender-specific reactions with different fear and stress mechanisms and hormone balances.

How exactly the nocebo effect occurs in the body is not yet entirely clear – especially since it is very individual. Presumably triggers the fear of a side effect stress out. According to Netdoktor, scientists have observed that a certain messenger substance is released. If this in turn is inhibited, this also prevents the nocebo effect.

How can the nocebo effect be prevented?

According to the science magazine “terra x”, placebo-controlled studies suffer about 20 percent of people from the placebo group under the nocebo effect. Apparently there are more women than men.

In addition, the expectations of the drug and its side effects primarily influence whether the nocebo effect occurs. According to Netdoktor, it is above all the personal environment and the media that can shape the expectations of a drug: if people around you have had negative experiences with a drug, you are more likely to also suffer from side effects. The same applies if the drug is criticized in the media.

Doctors are faced with a dilemma in this regard: on the one hand, they want and need to inform patients comprehensively about possible side effects – on the other hand, this promotes the nocebo effect. The same applies to information leaflets that can quickly appear threatening. Doctors and scientists debated the problem at a medical congress reported on by the Ärzteblatt.

• They concluded that Package inserts must become more understandable, so that patients can better classify the information. A “50 percent increased risk” sounds ominous. If the side effect is extremely unlikely, an increase of 50 percent will not change anything. Also, “five percent suffer from it” sounds more negative to many people than “95 percent do not suffer from this side effect”.
• When it comes to doctors, it is particularly important that patients In good hands feel. Then possible side effects of a therapy sound less threatening. It helps if the doctor assures you that they will help with possible side effects. Doctors could also agree with the patient to only provide information about the most common side effects.

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