Are Placebo’s Ripping Me Off?

Is $60 a good price to pay for improved health and improved sporting performance? Many athletes will tell you that it is a small price to pay. The use of holographic wristbands has been taking the sporting arena by storm claiming to do just that. The British cricket team, Shaquille O'Neal and many others have jumped on the band wagon to try and get that little bit of an advantage.

But before you run out and grab one for yourself there are a few points of concern that you, as a consumer should be aware of. One is that the cost of the bracelets are any were up to $60, and manufacturing is up to $2 a bracelet. How can they justify a 3,000% mark up? They have also been forces by the ACCC to make the following statement on there website:
“In our advertising we stated that Power Balance wristbands improved your strength, balance and flexibility. We admit that there is no credible scientific evidence that supports our claims and therefore we engaged in misleading conduct in breach of s52 of the Trade Practices Act 1974. If you feel you have been misled by our promotions, we wish to unreservedly apologise and offer a full refund. To obtain a refund please visit our website www.powerbalance.com.au or contact us toll-free on 1800 733 436 This offer will be available until 30th June 2011. To be eligible for a refund, together with return postage, you will need to return a genuine Power Balance product along with proof of purchase (including credit card records, store barcodes and receipts) from an authorised reseller in Australia. This Corrective Notice has been paid for by Power Balance Australia Pty Ltd and placed pursuant to an undertaking to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission given under section 87B of the Trade Practices Act, 1974.”

This is not exactly the whole truth either because there have been studies conducted on the bracelets. Choice magazine tested the bracelets and found that the effect was nothing more than placebo. The same result was found by Vanguard University students. At this stage I think conducting larger blind placebo trials are a waist of time and giving this company far to much attention than they deserve. The existing trial evidence and the companies own admission and refusal to conduct and publish it’s own double blind placebo trails is enough evidence to put this one to sleep. Even if we ignore how outlandish there claim is to begin with.

This is a wonderful story of people thinking and digging for evidence to support suspicions. It is also a story that shows that the ACCC is doing its job. But are the power bands alone. Are there other items in the market that are making the same outlandish clams and ripping off the public with incredible mark-ups? Many spring to my mind strait away!

Acupuncture has been with us for centuries but what would happen if I told you that tests have shown it be nothing more than placebo. Yes there have been tests that show that it has an effect, but as soon as it is double blind (testing for placebo) it falls in a heap. So far acupuncture is on par with our bracelets. What about the price of a session with a qualified acupuncturist. I did a quick search on the internet and found that the cost can be as high as $150. Trials have shown that it does not matter were the needles are placed the effect is the same. If a trainee charges $10 for the experience and an acupuncturist with “experience “ can charge up to $150 that’s a 1500% mark-up for exactly the same service. So why does acupuncture get such a good rap? Is it because so many people in the public report a positive effect. The manufacturers of the bracelet made this same argument and received no remorse.

The answer to this question eludes me. Why is it easy for people to openly reject and condemn one pseudoscience and openly embrace another? Why do people find anecdotal evidence so easy to accept when it is so obviously flawed?

I’ve picked on Acupuncture in this case but there are many more out there and this blog would never end if I tried to address them all. I urge you to just stop and think about products or services that seem as though they are bordering on pseudo science and do a little research before you blow your money.

Shane Geenen

Acupuncture trials revealing the effect to be placebo.
Streitberger, K. & Kleinhenz, J., 1989. Introducing a placebo needle into acupuncture research. EBSCO Host, 352(9125), p.364.
Pariente, J., White, P., Frackowiak, R.S. & Lewith, G., 2005. Expectancy and belief modulate the neuonal substates of pain treated by acupuncture. Neuolmage, 25(4), pp.1161-67.
Leibing, E. et al., 2002. Acupuncture treatment of chronic low-back pain - A randomized, blind, placebo-controled trial with 9-month follow-up. Pain, 96(1-2), pp.189-96.
Bausell, B.R. et al., 2005. Is acupuncture analgesia an expectancy effect? Preliminary evidence based on participants percieved assignment in two placebo-controlled trials. evaluation and the health professions, 28(1), pp.9-26.
Madsen, M. V., Gotzsche. P. C., Hrobjartsson, A. 2009. "Acupuncture treatment for pain: systematic review of randomized clinical trials with acupuncture, placebo acupuncture, and no acupuncture groups".

Non blind placebo trials showing an effect from acupuncture.
Sung, Y.F., Kutner, M.H., Cerine, F.C. & Frederickson, L.E., 1977. Comparison of the effect of acupunture and codeine on posterative dental pain. Anesthesia and analcesia, 56(4).
Roschke, J. et al., 2000. The benefirs of whole body acupuncture in major depression. Journal of effective disorders, 57(1-3), pp.73-81.

Special pleading and other logical fallacies are bout to the table.
Paterson, C. & Dieppe, P., 2005. Characteristic and incidental (placibo) Effect in complex interventions such as acupuncture. British medical journal, 330(7501), pp.1202-05.