'Nocebo' effect blamed for two-thirds of COVID vaccine symptoms: Study - New York Post

Researchers found that both vaccine and placebo recipients reported ill effects at similar rates — 22,802 and 22,578 reports, respectively — per data collected from 12 recent vaccine trials.

Meanwhile, 16% of placebo recipients also reported local effects, such as pain, itchiness and swelling at the site of injection after the first dose, whereas around 66% of truly vaccinated volunteers experienced the same local effects.

The numbers reveal that at least some of the side effects — an estimated two-thirds — reported by individuals who received an active vaccine treatment can be attributed to the nocebo effect, since many of the same symptoms occurred in the placebo group, according to researchers.

As participants progressed to additional doses, the number of those who reported adverse symptoms following a second placebo jab fell to 32%, and local site discomfort down to 12%.