Recent research, media coverage, and academic lectures on placebo mechanisms.
The Power of the Mind: How the Placebo Effect Enhances Healing
14 Apr. 2026
Research highlighted in Plus Magazine shows that the "placebo effect" is far more than just a sugar pill; it is a powerful medical tool woven into eve…
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Lecture Speaking of Uncertainty in Healthcare Practice
31 Mar. 2026
Yesterday, Marij Hillen, researcher and teacher Medical Communication from the Amsterdam UMC, presented an inspiring lecture on “Speaking of Uncerta…
Lecture Skills4Comfort, training program for healthcare professionals
21 Nov. 2025
On November 17th, Eveline Terwindt, Carla Frankenhuis and Linda Kersten presented with great dedication to our IPS researchers at Leiden University on…
PANACEA Final Conference Concludes in Brussels
5 Nov. 2025
Today (5 November 2025) the Final Conference of the PANACEA project took place in a hybrid format in Brussels (and online) under the banner *“Why do…
Lecture Omer Van den Bergh: When Expectation Determines Body Experience
28 Oct. 2025
On Monday, October 27, Prof. Omer Van den Bergh, Emeritus Professor of Health Psychology at KU Leuven, gave an engaging lecture to our IPS researchers…
Publication: I expect therefore I avoid? The effects of negative expectancy learning on pain and pain-related avoidance behavior
10 Oct. 2025
In two studies, researchers Gita Nadinda, Antoinette van Laarhoven, Johan Vlaeyen, Madelon Peters and Andrea Evers investigated the effects of negativ…
The use of “essentially placebo” treatments by GPs: An interview with Fabian Wolters
25 Sep. 2025
General practitioners (GPs) sometimes prescribe treatments they don’t expect to work through any real medical effect. These so-called “essentially…
In Memoriam: Prof. Dr. Andrea Evers (1967–2025)
7 Aug. 2025
We are deeply saddened by the passing of our dear colleague and inspiring leader, Andrea Evers. As the driving force behind all placebo research in o…
Second edition of the PANACEA International Summer School on Placebo and Nocebo in Faenza
22 Jul. 2025
From July 14-18, the second edition of the PANACEA International Summer School on Placebo and Nocebo took place in Faenza, Italy. The event was made p…
IPS Guest Researcher Mirjam Oomens Featured in de Volkskrant on the Impact of Prognoses in Cancer Care
1 Jul. 2025
On Saturday, June 21, 2025, de Volkskrant published an in-depth article on the effects of medical prognoses for terminally ill patients. In the piece,…
Heidi Staudacher shares key insights on diet and gut health
25 Jun. 2025
On 23 June, visiting Associate Professor Heidi Staudacher from Monash University, Melbourne, delivered a enlighting lecture at the Center for Interdis…
Two IPS Researchers Win Prestigious SIPS Early Career Award
23 Jun. 2025
We are proud to announce that two researchers from the Center for Interdisciplinary Placebo Studies (IPS), Dr. Stefanie Meeuwis and Dr. Aleksandrina S…
Andrea Evers receives prestigious ERC Advanced Grant
IPS researcher Andrea Evers has been awarded the prestigious ERC Advanced Grant by the European Research Council (ERC). This grant, worth up to €2.5…
5th International Conference of the Society for Interdisciplinary Placebo Studies (SIPS) in Kraków
22 Jun. 2025
From June 15 to 18, 2025, the 5th International Conference of the Society for Interdisciplinary Placebo Studies (SIPS) took place in Kraków, Poland.…
Using placebo and scent to aid medication tapering in rheumatoid arthritis: ReumaMagazine.nl interview
4 Jun. 2025
PhD student Pien van der Velde explores innovative ways to optimize medication tapering for patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Her research focuses o…
Lecture of visiting prof. Geert Crombez (University Ghent)
3 Jun. 2025
Geert Crombez, Professor of Health Psychology at University Ghent, has visited The Center for Interdisciplinary Placebo Studies Leiden on June 2nd 202…
Publication: Generalisation of Placebo and Nocebo Effects: Current Knowledge and Future Directions
20 May. 2025
In everyday clinical practice, patients’ prior experiences with treatments often “carry over” to influence how they respond to new therapies—a…
Publication: Do patients with fibromyalgia syndrome and healthy people differ in their opinions on placebo effects in routine medical care?
15 May. 2025
Placebo effects can relieve acute and chronic pain in both research and clinical treatments by learning mechanisms. However, the application of placeb…
E-learning over ‘Behandeleffecten verbeteren via communicatie’ is vernieuwd!
29 Apr. 2025
Communicatie heeft een directe invloed op behandelresultaten. In de vernieuwde e-learning ‘Behandeleffecten verbeteren via communicatie’, ontwikke…
Interview with the IPS Principal Investigators: Antoinette van Laarhoven
7 Apr. 2025
In a series of interviews, the IPS principal investigators introduce themselves, their research, motivations, and goals. Antoinette van Laarhoven is A…
Interview with the IPS Principal Investigators: Judy Veldhuijzen
24 Mar. 2025
In a series of interviews, the IPS principal investigators introduce themselves, their research, motivations, and goals. Judy Veldhuijzen is Associate…
Interview with the IPS Principal Investigators: Aleksandrina Skvortsova
10 Mar. 2025
In a series of interviews, the IPS principal investigators introduce themselves, their research, motivations, and goals. Aleksandrina Skvortsova is As…
Interview with the IPS Principal Investigators: Liesbeth van Vliet
24 Feb. 2025
In a series of interviews, the IPS principal investigators introduce themselves, their research, motivations, and goals. Liesbeth van Vliet is Assista…
What to expect when a doctor’s visit might be painful?
20 Feb. 2025
Imagine sitting in a doctor’s office, about to undergo a small procedure. How much pain should you expect? While positive expectations can help, bei…
Lectures @ Leiden University
14 Feb. 2025
You are invited to join two exciting lectures at Leiden University (FSW, SA.11, 11:30 - 13:00). Come and gain your knowledge on placebo and nocebo eff…
Marie Curie Cofund - FutureData4EU PhD Opportunity
12 Feb. 2025
The call for the PhD position titled "Enhancing Dermatologic Interventions through Big Data-Driven Understanding of Placebo Effects", affiliated with…
Interview with the IPS Principal Investigators: Kaya Peerdeman
10 Feb. 2025
In a series of interviews, the IPS principal investigators introduce themselves, their research, motivations, and goals. Kaya Peerdeman is an Assistan…
Andrea Evers on the Mind-Body Connection Podcast
4 Feb. 2025
How can placebo effects explain the interaction between mind and body? In this episode of the Mind-Body Connection podcast by Phil Parker, Andrea Eve…
Interview with the IPS Principal Investigators: Henriët van Middendorp
29 Jan. 2025
In a series of interviews, the IPS principal investigators introduce themselves, their research, motivations, and goals. Henriët van Middendorp is As…
MakersRadio podcast: Placebo and nocebo effects in healthcare
13 Jan. 2025
How can we enhance the effectiveness of medical treatments with positive expectations? And how can we prevent the harm caused by negative expectations…
Publication: Development and validation of the General Attitude towards Medication Questionnaire (GAMQ)
2 Dec. 2024
Some people have great trust in medication while others are concerned about their side effects or may be reluctant to use medication. Such attitudes t…
The Power of Communication and the Placebo Effect: IPS Symposium ‘How Can We Effectively Harness the Placebo Effect in Healthcare?’
18 Nov. 2024
Last Wednesday, healthcare professionals, researchers, and students gathered at the IPS symposium ‘How Can We Effectively Harness the Placebo Effect…
Language that comforts: The power of communication in healthcare
13 Nov. 2024
For people who are seriously ill, an empathetic doctor can make a world of difference. Psychologist Janine Westendorp examined helpful and harmful com…
Andrea Evers on the role of trust and the placebo effect on the TrustTalk Podcast
14 Oct. 2024
In a special episode of the TrustTalk podcast, professor Andrea Evers discusses the placebo effect and its strong connection to communication and trus…
Publication: Mindfulness Effects on Anxiety: Disentangling the Role of Decentering and Treatment Expectations
7 Oct. 2024
Mindfulness has gained significant popularity as an intervention that encourages individuals to be present, accepting, and non-judgmental in their tho…
Publication: Expectancies and avoidance: Towards an integrated model of chronic somatic symptoms
30 Sep. 2024
Expectancy and avoidance learning are important mechanisms in understanding chronic somatic conditions. Despite evidence suggesting they are interconn…
Symposium ‘Hoe we het placebo-effect kunnen inzetten in de zorg: Van arts-patiënt communicatie tot klinische richtlijnen’
27 Sep. 2024
Graag nodigt het team Center for Interdisciplinary Placebo Studies (IPS) Leiden jullie uit voor het symposium ‘Hoe we het placebo-effect kunnen in…
Behind the power of placebo: Andrea Evers on ‘De wereld van Sofie’ Radio 1 Belgium
10 Sep. 2024
What are the mechanisms behind the placebo effect? How can positive expectations lead to reduced pain? And why is the placebo effect so powerful? Pla…
Nocebo hyperalgesia and pain progression: Prediction, acquisition, and recovery - PhD defense Merve Karacaoglu
9 Sep. 2024
On September 4th from 13:00 to 14:00, Merve Karacaoglu successfully defended her PhD thesis titled “Nocebo hyperalgesia and pain progression: Predic…
Milestone: First Erasmus summer school of the PANACEA consortium in Madrid
22 Jul. 2024
What a milestone: the first Erasmus Summer school of the PANACEA Consortium in Madrid (July 15-19) on placebo and nocebo effects, offering high-level…
Andrea Evers in top 100 most influential people in healthcare and the most cited social scientists
8 Jul. 2024
Prof. dr. Andrea Evers has been recognized by VvAA members for her exceptional contributions to the healthcare sector, ranking 44th among the top 100…
Placebo surgeries: Ethical dilemmas and potential in surgical research (NTvG)
18 Jun. 2024
In an article for the Dutch Journal of Medicine (Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde; NTvG), Prof. dr. Andrea Evers, Drs. Hans van Lennep, and Dr.…
Overly optimistic explanations can lead to disappointment – NRC letters
7 Jun. 2024
“Can doctors use the placebo effect?” Yvo Smulders asks (24/5). My colleagues at the Center for Interdisciplinary Placebo Studies and I would like…
PANACEA Placebo and Nocebo Education Partnership Meeting in Leiden
31 May. 2024
The sixth PANACEA partnership meeting was held in Leiden on May 29-30th, hosted and organized by Andrea Evers and Stefanie Meeuwis from ULEI. PANACEA…
WRR-podcast Vogelvlucht #28: Close-up with WRR member Andrea Evers
16 May. 2024
In the 'Close-up' episodes of the Vogelvlucht podcast, we get acquainted with the members of the Wetenschappelijke Raad voor het Regeringsbeleid (Scie…
Publication: Nocebo hyperalgesia and other expectancy-related factors in daily fibromyalgia pain
9 May. 2024
Expectancies are known to shape pain experiences, but it remains unclear how different types of expectancies contribute to daily pain fluctuations in…
Placebos really work: Andrea Evers on the power of placebo at the NPO Podcast Festival
9 Apr. 2024
What makes placebos so effective? And how can we use them to improve health outcomes? These questions are answered by placebo-expert Andrea Evers dur…
International SUMMER SCHOOL on Placebo And Nocebo
26 Mar. 2024
We are thrilled to introduce the "PANACEA: International Summer School on Placebo And Nocebo"! This innovative project is designed to educate universi…
Publication: Pharmacological conditioning in rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
16 Feb. 2024
Medication regimens employing variable reinforcement conditioning have demonstrated comparable or enhanced therapeutic effects compared to full pharma…
New publication on harmful communication in cancer care
12 Jan. 2024
This article reveals what cancer patients and their family caregivers specifically perceive as harmful communication behavior.
Merry Christmas!
21 Dec. 2023
We wish you wonderful Christmas days and a great 2024!
Publication award for paper about placebo learning mechanisms
19 Dec. 2023
Hans van Lennep won the Best PhD Published Article Award of the Institute of Psychology at Leiden University.
If placebos work, do nocebos work too?
14 Dec. 2023
Most people have heard of the placebo effect, but the nocebo effect is much less known. What is the nocebo effect and how does it work? Professor of…
Treatment adherence hinges on good communication and trust in the treatment
20 Nov. 2023
Encouraging treatment adherence remains a significant challenge, especially with antihypertensives. It is crucial that the patient has trust in the tr…
PANACEA Partnership Meeting in Bologna
29 Oct. 2023
On 25-26 October 2023, the fourth partnership meeting took place in Bologna. This meeting, led by UNIBO, focused on the preparation of learning mater…
Newsletter September 2023
28 Sep. 2023
This newsletter includes Leiden University receiving the grant for advanced placebo interventions, vacancies for PhD positions, upcoming PhD defenses,…
Publication: Effects of learning on expectancy-oriented pain relief
29 Jul. 2023
This study compared the individual versus combined effects of three important ways of learning on expectation-based pain relief.
Can placebo techniques help rheumatism patients reduce their medication?
30 Jun. 2023
From painful joints to intense fatigue: a third of rheumatism patients suffer serious effects from this chronic condition and rely long-term on medica…
Publication: Placebo effects in managing diabetes
12 Jun. 2023
Exploring the potential use of placebo effect principles in the management of type 2 diabetes.
4th International SIPS conferentie
17 May. 2023
Vorige week (10 – 13 mei) vond de 4e internationale conferentie van de Society for Interdisciplinary Placebo Studies (SIPS) plaats in Duisburg, Duit…
Publication: Learned Nocebo Effects
3 May. 2023
A comprehensive view of the magnitude of nocebo effects and contributing factors that will help steer nocebo research toward fruitful directions.
Publication: Nocebo Hyperalgesia Reduction
26 Apr. 2023
Exploring the psychological predictors of nocebo hyperalgesia and whether the reduction of nocebo hyperalgesia can be predicted by susceptibility…
New centre of expertise makes placebo research accessible for healthcare and society
17 Apr. 2023
Positive expectations about treatment increase the likelihood of success. The new Center for Interdisciplinary Placebo Studies Leiden is therefore pro…
How the Placebo Effect Can Contribute to Better Care
14 Apr. 2023
We do not know what the active ingredients are for many regular treatments. For example, the effect of a placebo pill can be as great as, for example,…
Coming up: launch IPS Leiden - thursday 13 april
13 Apr. 2023
The festive opening of the Center for Interdisciplinary Placebo Studies (IPS) Leiden and the launch of our innovative VR communication training for he…
