The Wonder Pill

Alda, Alan, 1936- (Added Author). Films for the Humanities & Sciences (Firm) (Added Author). Films Media Group (Added Author). Public Broadcasting Service (U.S.) (Added Author).

Summary: It has finally been acknowledged that the placebo effect-historically seen as a distraction from "real" medical treatment-is a genuine phenomenon and a potential addition to the arsenal of modern medicine. In this classic program from the Scientific American Frontiers series, host Alan Alda discovers that the roots of the placebo effect go back to the days of herbal remedies, that placebos can cause measurable changes in the brains of patients with depression, that periodic placebos may extend the usefulness of standard Parkinson's treatment, and more.

Record details

Physical Description: 1 streaming video file (60 min.) : sd., col., digital file.
remote
electronic resource (video)
Publisher: New York, N.Y. : Films Media Group, [2009], c2003.

Content descriptions

General Note:	Multi-User. Films on Demand is distributed by Films Media Group for Films for the Humanities & Sciences, Cambridge Educational, Meridian Education, and Shopware. Encoded with permission for digital streaming by Films Media Group on October 16, 2009.
Formatted Contents Note:	New Research on Placebos (1:30) -- Placebo Effect (1:36) -- One Treatment for All (2:21) -- Placebos of Yore (1:04) -- Placebos had a Place (2:18) -- Brainwaves Lift the Blues (1:07) -- Different Responses to Placebos (1:52) -- Changes in Placebo Patients (1:37) -- Multiple Pathways Toward Improvement (1:43) -- The Placebo Effect is Real (1:34) -- The Empathetic Doctor (3:05) -- The Cold HMO Doctor (1:58) -- Patient Expectations (1:42) -- Introduction to Cedric Bell (1:24) -- Symptoms of Parkinson's Disease (1:46) -- Placebos for Parkinson's (1:18) -- Placebo: Expectation of Benefit. (1:14) -- The Mind Controlling the Body (1:44) -- Snuffing the Sniffles (1:54) -- Placebo or Not (1:24) -- Cold Remedies (1:23) -- Placebo Cold Remedy (2:20) -- Psychological Benefit (1:01) -- Healing Rituals (0:56) -- Placebo Effect of Acupuncture (1:16) -- Carpel Tunnel Acupuncture Study (1:03) -- The Healing Power of Acupuncture (2:27) -- Real or Fake (1:00) -- Fooled by the Placebo (1:27) -- Healing Carpel Tunnel (1:17) -- Ritual Effect of Treatments (1:52) -- Studying Placebo Analgesics (1:13) -- Gathering Baseline Measures (1:11) -- Placebo Analgesia (1:46) -- Human Interaction and the Art of Medicine (0:32)
Restrictions on Access Note:	Access requires authentication through Films on Demand.
Target Audience Note:	9 & up.
System Details Note:	System requirements: FOD playback platform. Mode of access: Internet.
Terms Governing Use and Reproduction Note:	Access requires VIU IP addresses and is restricted to VIU students, faculty and staff. Access requires authentication through Films on Demand.
Source of Description Note:	Title from distributor's description.