I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Positive findings are around twice as likely to be published as negative findings. This is a cancer at the core of evidence-based medicine.

I hope that you will be asked to participate in a trial at some stage in your disease

The placebo effect is one of the most fascinating things in the whole of medicine. It's not just about taking a pill, and your performance and your pain getting better. It's about our beliefs and expectations. It's about the cultural meaning of a treatment.

You are a placebo responder. Your body plays tricks on your mind. You cannot be trusted.

And if, by the end [of this book], you reckon you might still disagree with me, then I offer you this: you'll still be wrong, but you'll be wrong with a lot more panache and flair than you could possibly manage right now.

As it is a major component of blood, water is vital for transporting oxygen to the brain. Heaven forbid that your blood should dry out.