The Journal of nervous and mental disease
-
J. Nerv. Ment. Dis. · Jul 2013
ReviewThe medical alliance: from placebo response to alliance effect.
The natural human response to illness is to seek to understand what is happening and to look for help from others. In all cultures, one finds healers, who provide explanations and offer care. Their interventions often have a placebo effect through activation of natural healing processes in the patient. ⋯ We distinguish the alliance effect from the placebo effect. We develop a comprehensive model of the medical alliance, on the basis of the concept of concordance, and review its relevance for clinical practice and medical education. The alliance effect represents a professional and ethical way of activating a patient's natural healing mechanisms.