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 ...