The Placebo Experiment: Can My Brain Cure My Body - BBC2

By Mandy Cooper
( What's on TV )
published

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Michael Mosley treats volunteers with backache with fake pills - which they believe are painkillers - to see if they will react to the placebo effect in BBC2's The Placebo Experiment: Can My Brain Cure My Body

Michael Mosley, the doctor who brought us the 5:2 diet, is in Blackpool to undertake a fascinating experiment for Horizon.

The town, made famous by its tower and ballroom, has one of the highest rates of chronic back pain in the country, which is why the trial is taking place here.

Horizon - The Placebo Experiment: Can My Brain Cure My Body?

Dr Mosley experiments with a vile-looking green drink

Over a three-week period, 117 sufferers are given a ‘new painkiller’ to treat their illness, with nearly half reporting that they feel better, bringing a new lease of life to some of the group.

However, all the volunteers have actually been taking a placebo, which proves recent research that the power of the mind is underrated, and that the brain, in some people, can produce a painkiller stronger than any drug.

TV Times rating: ****

Mandy Cooper
Mandy Cooper
TV Times Highlights Editor

As TV Times Highlights Editor I get to hear about all the latest TV shows coming soon. Here at TVT HQ we are in the privileged position of selecting the best programmes from across all the channels and streaming platforms. Our mission is to make it easier for our readers to decide what to watch - and give them lots of choice of genres - all the latest shows, plus some nostalgic choices we call hidden gems, too. My career began with a postgraduate degree in periodical journalism (ahem, yes old school!) in 1991 and I’ve worked in TV media since 2000.