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A sugar pill shouldn't work as well as a real drug ... except sometimes it does. In this episode, we explore the fascinating science of the placebo effect and how expectations can shape biological outcomes. From open-label placebos and AI healthcare chatbots to the nocebo effect, we unpack what scientists know, what they still don't understand, and why the placebo response is still largely mysterious.

Check out Spirits here or wherever you listen to podcasts!

A transcript and references for this episode can be found at acs.org/tinymatters.

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