Energy healing and the placebo effect. An anthropological perspective on the placebo effect.

The paper deals with a classical anthropological issue, the working mechanisms of rituals and the relation between healing rituals and the placebo effect. The point of departure of the paper is MUS (medically unexplained symptoms) patients' experiences of Danish healing rituals. The aim of the paper is to develop an understanding of how bodily experienced images of body and self work to transform the patient during a healing ritual.

Patients' views of CAM as spiritual practice.

Objectives: This paper explores Danish cancer patients' narratives on spiritual beliefs, practices and the relationship these practices may have to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

Design: Narrative inquiry was used to understand how spiritual beliefs and practices might be related to CAM. Thirty-two cancer patients, family, friends and alternative practitioners were followed up over a two year period by face to face interview, telephone and focus groups.