Hemp and placebos: media (too) often praise cannabis as a painkiller
Scientific studies using placebos and the same effect of cannabis are often ignored, according to a study. Researchers from Sweden, for example, observed no difference in pain reduction between cannabis and the placebos in a recent study.
Media often evaluate cannabis studies that focus on pain relief positively, regardless of the results. This is the conclusion of Filip Gedin from the Swedish university "Karolinska Institutet". The background to this is the fact that several studies have shown that people who take placebos experience largely the same degree of pain relief as those who consume the active cannabinoid substance.
"This is problematic and may influence expectations about the effects of cannabis therapy on pain. The greater the benefits of treatment, the more potential harms can be tolerated," Gedin said.
20 published studies
The current publication is based on 20 studies published through September 2021 that had nearly 1500 subjects. The results of the new study show that pain is rated as significantly less intense after treatment with placebos, with a moderate to large effect. The researchers also observed no difference in pain reduction between cannabis and the placebos, confirming the results of another recently published meta-analysis.
The researchers also investigated a possible link between the extent of the therapeutic effect of the cannabis trials and the coverage they received in the media and academic journals. Measurements were made using Altmetric, a method that encompasses the broadest possible range of responses in blogs and social media. Academic impact was measured in terms of citations from other researchers.
136 News analyzed
The analysis of media exposure included 136 news stories in traditional media and blogs and was classified as positive, negative, or neutral depending on how the results were presented regarding the efficacy of cannabis for pain management. The researchers found that cannabis trials received much greater media attention than other trials. Coverage was independent of the extent of placebo's effect.
