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Table 1 Intervention and control condition

From: Nocebo effects by providing informed consent in shared decision making? Not necessarily: a randomized pilot-trial using an open-label placebo approach

Control

Intervention

simple consent

informed consent

Dear Mrs. / Mr. [], just as we discussed earlier, you will receive a new sleeping pill for tonight.

Dear Mrs. / Mr. [], just as we discussed earlier, you will receive a new sleeping pill for tonight.

Before that, I would like to give you some more information about that drug.

The sleeping pill improves falling asleep and sleeping through the night in about 60% of all patients. It does not work for about 40% of all patients.

No serious side effects are to be expected, but of course, like in all other medicaments, side effects can occur. About those, I would like to give you some more information:

Around 30% of all patients report dry mouth.

Around 27% of all patients report slight vertigo.

About 40% of all patients report increased sweating.

As usual, you will be given that pill about half an hour before going to bed. Tomorrow, we will hand out a questionnaire to you, in which you can indicate how you have been sleeping tonight.

As usual, you will be given that pill about half an hour before going to bed. Tomorrow, we will hand out a questionnaire to you, in which you can indicate how you have been sleeping tonight.