A Crucial Blind Spot in Veterinary Medicine
While the placebo effect is a well-established phenomenon in human patients, it’s an underappreciated one in veterinary medicine. And the particular way it plays out in veterinary care highlights how unconscious cognitive biases can mislead humans when we care for other species. Even when pet owners are determined to provide first-rate care for the animals they love, these blind spots can undermine their best efforts. “The stories that we tell about our pets often aren’t really reflecting what’s happening to their bodies,” says Brennen McKenzie, a veterinarian and the author of SkeptVet, a blog dedicated to evidence-based veterinary medicine.
I’m glad you were interviewed for this article. It should be required reading for every pet owner, vet student, and anyone who is in service to care for animals.
We’ve known about the placebo effect for a very long time, now. It still amazes me how so many still don’t get it 🙁