Ted Kaptchuk
Professor of medicine and director of Harvard’s Program in Placebo Studies and the Therapeutic Encounter, known for pioneering placebo research including open-label placebo trials and studies on ritual and doctor–patient relationships.
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Oct 6, 2025 • 46min
Why do placebos work?
Ted Kaptchuk, Harvard professor who pioneered placebo research after training in Chinese medicine. He discusses how ritual, clinician warmth and the therapeutic encounter shape symptom relief. He explains open‑label placebos, how placebos alter symptom perception but not objective disease, and why these effects matter for chronic pain and other hard-to-treat conditions.
