This Book May Cause Side Effects: The Curious and Dangerous Power of the Nocebo Effect, Placebo's Evil Twin

In This Book May Cause Side Effects, Dr. Helen Pilcher explores the "nocebo" effect—the shadow side of the placebo—and shows how our convictions can sometimes quite literally harm us.

Take the COVID vaccine. If you experienced side effects from your COVID vaccine, there is a 76 percent chance that these were caused by your belief that you would experience them—not by the mRNA circulating in your system.

Or, even more extreme, take the case of Sam Shoeman: Although his diagnosis of late-stage ...