Norman Swan

For example, chronic pain, this particular research shows increased quality of life, reduction in pain severity, reduction in depression, increase in happiness, satisfaction in life.

So, you know, really good stuff.

Really good stuff.

However, when you look at the evidence such as it is, small studies, not necessarily very well controlled.

How do you have a placebo for tapping?

It's hard to do.

And the way you deal with that is that you bring all the results of research together.

It's called a systematic review and a meta-analysis where you analyze the raw data or bring together the data from different trials.

And again, the paper suggested that there was a reasonable effect size from EFT, tapping technique.

However, that study, that review, has been criticized for making inaccurate statements.

For example, they claimed that it utilizes techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy or prolonged exposure therapy.

The critique of the paper suggests that, in fact, it doesn't resemble either of those techniques.

And the other problem with these studies is, well, they haven't got a placebo, so they compare it to doing nothing.

There haven't been any studies comparing EFT, tapping to, say, antidepressants or SSRIs, which can help anxiety.

There have been some studies comparing it to psychotherapy, like cognitive behavioral therapy, but very small studies from which you cannot really take a lot of comfort.

And also not a fully declared conflict of interest because one of the authors does actually have programs from which that person makes money.

So that's not necessarily a bad thing, but it just needs to be properly declared.

Well, so it depends what you're talking about placebo.

I thought where you were going with that is that this has all the hallmarks of something where you'd get a big placebo effect.

Because there's a whole lot of shtick around it.