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. 2018 Jun 12;87(4):204–210. doi: 10.1159/000490354

Table 1.

Summary of the recommendations formulated by the expert group

Dos
1 Consider placebo effects as part of regular treatment

2 Inform patients about placebo and nocebo effects in such a way that treatment effects are maximized and side effects are minimized

3 Ensure a patient-clinician relationship that is characterized by trust, warmth and empathy in order to maximize placebo effects and minimize nocebo effects

4 Train health-care providers in patient-clinician communication to maximize placebo effects and minimize nocebo effects

5 Prefer open-label rather than hidden placebo prescription in those cases where there is evidence for efficacy and where prescribing a placebo is legal

Don'ts
1 Do not take risks (e.g., prescribing invasive treatments) to maximize placebo effects

2 Do not consider deception a necessary component of placebo effects