This intervention has nothing but the name in common with intercessory prayer as it is practiced and experienced in the traditions that I know of. This is a wonderful example of the act of observation changing the nature of the thing observed.
Jim
James M. Walker, MD
Chief Medical Information Officer
Geisinger Health System
>>> badri badrinath <[log in to unmask]> 04/06/06 5:14 PM >>>
Dear Colleague,
Warm spring greetings from the east of England.
I came across this paper in the Am Heart J. This study adopted the best
possible methodology for generating evidence for the therapeutic efficacy of
intercessory prayer. The results did not turn out to be as expected. I
wonder whether scientific methods cannot be applied to test faith based
interventions. Although for causality to be established we need to
understand biological plausibility which appears to be beyond human
comprehension in interventions such as prayers as science stands to day.
Also what is the external validity of these results? Are the trial results
applicable to prayers for other faith groups? I found the paper very
interesting. Please find below the abstract, free full text editorial and a
press release from Harvard.
One good thing I noticed is that it is possible to obtain funding to test
such interventions although it is hard to see how any one could market the
interventions for material benefit (unlike most other interventions)
Benson H, Dusek JA, Sherwood JB, Lam P, Bethea CF et al. Study of the
Therapeutic Effects of Intercessory Prayer (STEP) in cardiac bypass
patients: a multicenter randomized trial of uncertainty and certainty of
receiving intercessory prayer. Am Heart J. 2006 Apr;151(4):934-42.
Background
Intercessory prayer is widely believed to influence recovery from illness,
but claims of benefits are not supported by well-controlled clinical trials.
Prior studies have not addressed whether prayer itself or
knowledge/certainty that prayer is being provided may influence outcome. We
evaluated whether (1) receiving intercessory prayer or (2) being certain of
receiving intercessory prayer was associated with uncomplicated recovery
after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.
Methods
Patients at 6 US hospitals were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: 604
received intercessory prayer after being informed that they may or may not
receive prayer; 597 did not receive intercessory prayer also after being
informed that they may or may not receive prayer; and 601 received
intercessory prayer after being informed they would receive prayer.
Intercessory prayer was provided for 14 days, starting the night before
CABG. The primary outcome was presence of any complication within 30 days of
CABG. Secondary outcomes were any major event and mortality.
Results
In the 2 groups uncertain about receiving intercessory prayer, complications
occurred in 52% (315/604) of patients who received intercessory prayer
versus 51% (304/597) of those who did not (relative risk 1.02, 95% CI
0.92-1.15). Complications occurred in 59% (352/601) of patients certain of
receiving intercessory prayer compared with the 52% (315/604) of those
uncertain of receiving intercessory prayer (relative risk 1.14, 95% CI
1.02-1.28). Major events and 30-day mortality were similar across the 3
groups.
Conclusions
Intercessory prayer itself had no effect on complication-free recovery from
CABG, but certainty of receiving intercessory prayer was associated with a
higher incidence of complications.
Free Full text editorial
http://download.journals.elsevierhealth.com/pdfs/journals/0002-8703/PIIS0002870305006484.pdf
Press release from Harvard Medical School
http://web.med.harvard.edu/sites/RELEASES/html/3_31STEP.html
Hope the above is of interest to some colleagues on the list.
Warm regards & very best wishes,
Badri
Dr.P.Badrinath MD, BS, M.Phil, MPH, PhD (Cantab), MFPH
Consultant in Public Health Medicine & Affiliated Clinical Lecturer,
Suffolk West PCT & University of Cambridge, UK
http://myprofile.cos.com/badrishanthi
Disclaimer: The above views are my own and not that of my employing
organisations.
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