https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2l9gyevjdo
Interesting article about women self-funding surgery to have pineal cysts removed in the hope of dealing with debilitating headaches, seizures and migraines. The article lists that it's usually successful in over 90% of cases, but...
Prof Alistair Jenkins, of the Society of British Neurological surgeons, believes the operations are "irresponsible".
He said: "There are around 40,000 neurosurgeons in the world, the fact that there are only six who are prepared to do it, I think says more about the procedure than about the ability of those neurosurgeons.”
He warned a pineal cyst should only be removed in extremely rare circumstances, and believes the operations' successful results could be explained by the "placebo effect".
So, what? The women with whose debilitating migraines and seizures went away through wishful thinking?
The article continues to say how a study showed that the treatment was effective, and the results couldn't be explained by the placebo effect. Am I the only one slightly disconcerted that Professor Jenkins dismisses this treatment so easily, writing off (mostly) women's experiences by effectively saying they're imagining it?