The DOI matches its Crossref record; 108 of the 108 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
To what extent are surgery and invasive procedures effective beyond a placebo response? A systematic review with meta-analysis of randomised, sham controlled trials
Open accessAbstract
Objectives: To assess the quantity and quality of randomised, sham-controlled studies of surgery and invasive procedures and estimate the treatment-specific and non-specific effects of those procedures. Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Data sources: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, CENTRAL (Cochrane Library), PILOTS, PsycInfo, DoD Biomedical Research, clinicaltrials.gov, NLM catalog and NIH Grantee Publications Database from their inception through January 2015. Study selection: We included randomised controlled trials of surgery and invasive procedures that penetrated the skin or an orifice and had a parallel sham procedure for comparison. Data extraction and analysis: Three authors independently extracted data and assessed risk of bias. Studies reporting continuous outcomes were pooled and the standardised mean difference (SMD) with 95% CIs was calculated using a random effects model for difference between true and sham groups. Results: 55 studies (3574 patients) were identified meeting inclusion criteria; 39 provided sufficient data for inclusion in the main analysis (2902 patients). The overall SMD of the continuous primary outcome between treatment/sham-control groups was 0.34 (95% CI 0.20 to 0.49; p<0.00001; I 2 =67%). The SMD for surgery versus sham surgery was non-significant for pain-related conditions (n=15, SMD=0.13, p=0.08), marginally significant for studies on weight loss (n=10, SMD=0.52, p=0.05) and significant for gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD) studies (n=5, SMD=0.65, p<0.001) and for other conditions (n=8, SMD=0.44, p=0.004). Mean improvement in sham groups relative to active treatment was larger in pain-related conditions (78%) and obesity (71%) than in GERD (57%) and other conditions (57%), and was smaller in classical-surgery trials (21%) than in endoscopic trials (73%) and those using percutaneous procedures (64%). Conclusions: The non-specific effects of surgery and other invasive procedures are generally large. Particularly in the field of pain-related conditions, more evidence from randomised placebo-controlled trials is needed to avoid continuation of ineffective treatments.
Overview
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
The source backs part of the claim, not all of it — or backs it for a different population, condition or comparison.
In the citing paper
“It seems clearly adaptive for expectations to modulate sensory perception to some extent13,14.”
From Boundary effects of expectation in human pain perception (2019) · cites this paper as [13]
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Citations
Cites
Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences
Cohen, J. (1990) · Computers Environment and Urban Systems · doi:10.1016/0198-9715(90)90050-4 · Cited by 65,417
Measuring inconsistency in meta-analyses
Higgins, J. P. T., Thompson, S. G., Deeks, J. J., & Altman, D. G. (2003) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.327.7414.557 · Cited by 63,139
Bias in meta-analysis detected by a simple, graphical test
Egger, M., Smith, G. D., Schneider, M., & Minder, C. (1997) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.315.7109.629 · Cited by 56,722
Meta-analysis in clinical trials
DerSimonian, R., & Laird, N. (1986) · Controlled Clinical Trials · doi:10.1016/0197-2456(86)90046-2 · Cited by 39,552
Liberati, A., Altman, D. G., Tetzlaff, J., Mulrow, C., Gøtzsche, P. C., Ioannidis, J. P. A., Clarke, M., Devereaux, P. J., Kleijnen, J., & Moher, D. (2009) · PLoS Medicine · doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1000100 · Cited by 28,164
Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions: Cochrane Book Series
(2008) · doi:10.1002/9780470712184 · Cited by 25,048
Liberati, A., Altman, D. G., Tetzlaff, J., Mulrow, C., Gøtzsche, P. C., Ioannidis, J. P. A., Clarke, M., Devereaux, P. J., Kleijnen, J., & Moher, D. (2009) · Annals of Internal Medicine · doi:10.7326/0003-4819-151-4-200908180-00136 · Cited by 10,349
Assessing Risk of Bias in Included Studies
Higgins, J. P., & Altman, D. G. (2008) · Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions · doi:10.1002/9780470712184.ch8 · Cited by 3,396
Transplantation of Embryonic Dopamine Neurons for Severe Parkinson's Disease
Freed, C. R., Greene, P. E., Breeze, R. E., Tsai, W.-Y., DuMouchel, W., Kao, R., Dillon, S., Winfield, H., Culver, S., Trojanowski, J. Q., et al. (2001) · New England Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1056/nejm200103083441002 · Cited by 2,366
A Controlled Trial of Arthroscopic Surgery for Osteoarthritis of the Knee
Moseley, J. B., O’Malley, K. J., Petersen, N. J., Menke, T. J., Brody, B. A., Kuykendall, D. H., Hollingsworth, J. C., Ashton, C. M., & Wray, N. P. (2002) · New England Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1056/nejmoa013259 · Cited by 2,262
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Items 101–182 of 182
Hinwood, M., Wall, L., Lang, D., Balogh, Z. J., Smith, A., Dowsey, M. M., Clarke, P., Choong, P., Bunzli, S., & Paolucci, F. (2022) · Trials · doi:10.1186/s13063-022-06277-x · Cited by 4
Doing our bit to save the planet: Identifying and abandoning low value surgery
Gill, S. D., & Page, R. S. (2023) · ANZ Journal of Surgery · doi:10.1111/ans.18569 · Cited by 4
Measurement of Upper Extremity–Specific Comfort and Capability
Ibezim, C. F., Reichel, L. M., & Ring, D. (2023) · Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons · doi:10.5435/jaaos-d-23-00109 · Cited by 4
The Biopsychosocial Model of Health and Disease
Bolton, D. (2021) · European journal of analytic philosophy · doi:10.31820/ejap.17.2.7 · Cited by 4
Laferton, J. A. C., Oeltjen, L., Neubauer, K., Ebert, D. D., & Münder, T. (2020) · doi:10.31234/osf.io/y39xu · Cited by 4
Placebo and nocebo effect in pain
Belleï-Rodriguez, C.-É., & Colloca, L. (2025) · Handbook of clinical neurology · doi:10.1016/b978-0-443-29884-4.00017-0 · Cited by 3
Self-citationLanza, E., Poretti, D., Pedicini, V., Kon, E., & Laghi, A. (2026) · European Journal of Radiology · doi:10.1016/j.ejrad.2026.112968 · Cited by 3
Kertzman, B. A. J., Amelung, F. J., Bolkenstein, H. E., Consten, E. C. J., & Draaisma, W. A. (2024) · Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology · doi:10.1080/00365521.2024.2337833 · Cited by 3
International web-based survey of patients with non-hydrocephalic symptomatic pineal cysts
Harding, J., Masina, R., Hill, A., Ansanipour, A., Steele, A., Kolias, A. G., & Santarius, T. (2024) · Acta Neurochirurgica · doi:10.1007/s00701-024-06403-5 · Cited by 3
Salzmann, S., Stenzel, K. L., Sadlonova, M., Euteneuer, F., Horn, N., Rastan, A. J., Lenz, J., Böning, A., Salzmann-Djufri, M., Niemann, B., et al. (2025) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-025-93467-7 · Cited by 4
Endoscopic intervention in pancreatitis: perspectives from a gastroenterologist
Gürakar, M., Faghih, M., & Singh, V. K. (2019) · Abdominal Radiology · doi:10.1007/s00261-019-02314-7 · Cited by 3
Riding (and driving) the endoscopy express over 7 decades
Cotton, P. B., & Ge, P. S. (2023) · iGIE · doi:10.1016/j.igie.2023.07.015 · Cited by 3
Do difficult encounters affect pain treatment outcomes? A prospective cohort study
Liu, W. L., van Gelderen, E., Mawalkar, R., Wang, E. J., Treisman, G. J., & Cohen, S. P. (2025) · Pain Medicine · doi:10.1093/pm/pnaf027 · Cited by 3
Behandlungserwartungen bei postoperativen Schmerzen
Stuhlreyer, J., & Klinger, R. (2021) · Der Schmerz · doi:10.1007/s00482-021-00575-0 · Cited by 3
A Matter of Perspective: Sham Surgery as Effective as Surgery, or Surgery as Uneffective as Sham?
Enck, P. (2018) · Pain Medicine · doi:10.1093/pm/pny127 · Cited by 3
The FEMME Trial: At Risk for Misinterpretation and “Fake News”
Kennedy, S. A., Kachura, J. R., & Mafeld, S. C. (2021) · CardioVascular and Interventional Radiology · doi:10.1007/s00270-020-02755-4 · Cited by 3
Worte wie Medizin – Therapeutische Kommunikation in der Anästhesie
Hansen, E. (2025) · Die Anaesthesiologie · doi:10.1007/s00101-025-01588-5 · Cited by 2
van Zadelhoff, T. A., van der Heijden, R. A., Bierma‐Zeinstra, S., Bos, P. K., & Oei, E. H. G. (2025) · Osteoarthritis Imaging · doi:10.1016/j.ostima.2025.100376 · Cited by 2
How do US orthopaedic surgeons view placebo-controlled surgical trials? A pilot online survey study
Bernstein, M. H., Rosenfield, M. N., Blease, C., Magill, M., Terek, R. M., Savulescu, J., Beaudoin, F. L., Rich, J. D., & Wartolowska, K. A. (2022) · Journal of Medical Ethics · doi:10.1136/jme-2022-108221 · Cited by 2
Monaghan, N. P., Duckett, K. A., Nguyen, S. A., Massey, A. A., Rathi, V. K., Soler, Z., & Schlosser, R. (2024) · International Forum of Allergy and Rhinology · doi:10.1002/alr.23421 · Cited by 3
Ring, D. (2018) · Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research · doi:10.1007/s11999.0000000000000173 · Cited by 2
The medicalisation of normality in musculoskeletal practice
Lewis, J. S. (2017) · Journal of science and medicine in sport · doi:10.1016/j.jsams.2017.09.266 · Cited by 2
Peper, E., & Harvey, R. (2017) · NeuroRegulation · doi:10.15540/nr.4.3-4.102 · Cited by 1
Meißner, K. (2022) · Chinesische Medizin / Chinese Medicine · doi:10.1007/s00052-022-00069-x · Cited by 2
Jovey, R. D., Balon, J., Mabee, J., Yake, J., Currer, C., Vadgama, G., Jomy, J., Hong, K.-Y., Patel, M. M., & Busse, J. W. (2023) · Cureus · doi:10.7759/cureus.37440 · Cited by 2
Hansen, E. (2023) · Psychotherapie: Praxis · doi:10.1007/978-3-662-64968-8_41 · Cited by 2
The mu-opioid receptor gene OPRM1 as a genetic marker for placebo analgesiaPreprint
Aslaksen, P. M., Forsberg, J. T., & Gjerstad, J. (2017) · bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · doi:10.1101/139345 · Cited by 2
Distinguishing Fact from Opinion: Social Media, Free Speech, and Evidence-Based Medicine
Cramer, H. (2022) · Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine · doi:10.1089/jicm.2022.29106.hc · Cited by 2
Why psychotherapy is an open-label placebo and open-label placebos are psychotherapy
Gaab, J. (2023) · doi:10.1093/med/9780197645444.003.0018 · Cited by 1
Rossettini, G., Carlino, E., & Testa, M. (2023) · MSK – Muskuloskelettale Physiotherapie · doi:10.1055/a-2140-6317 · Cited by 1
Placebo Responses in Clinical Trials of Analgesics
Bouhassira, D. (2025) · Neurologic Clinics · doi:10.1016/j.ncl.2025.08.002 · Cited by 1
von Koch, S., Sharma, T., Khamis, R., Jernberg, T., James, S. K., Ömerovic, E., Zwackman, S., Sjögren, J. L., Erlinge, D., & Mohammad, M. A. (2025) · The Lancet Regional Health - Europe · doi:10.1016/j.lanepe.2025.101507 · Cited by 1
Genicular artery embolization for treating knee osteoarthritis – an overview of the evidence
Gill, S. D., & Landers, S. (2026) · Pain Management · doi:10.1080/17581869.2026.2617858 · Cited by 1
Guidetti, C., Giorgi, R. D., Huneke, N. T. M., Crescenzo, F. D., Zippi, C., Papakostas, G. I., & D, M. F. M. (2026) · American Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.20251233 · Cited by 1
Weisman, A., & Masharawi, Y. (2025) · Medical Hypotheses · doi:10.1016/j.mehy.2025.111633 · Cited by 1
Nihil nocere versus Nocebo – Schaden beim Helfen vermeiden
Hansen, E. (2025) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-662-69490-9_5 · Cited by 1
Ethical examination of sham surgeries for relief of chronic pain in clinical practice
Fleshner, K. A., & Orzylowski, J. (2018) · University of Western Ontario Medical Journal · doi:10.5206/uwomj.v87i1.1901 · Cited by 1
Die Macht der Worte – Placebo- und Nocebo-Effekte in der Physiotherapie
Rutten, G. M. (2019) · physiopraxis · doi:10.1055/a-1010-0240 · Cited by 1
Symptomatic adult spinal deformity: implications for treatment and research
Zaina, F., Felice, F. D., Donzelli, S., & Négrini, S. (2020) · Annals of Translational Medicine · doi:10.21037/atm.2020.01.46 · Cited by 1
Editorial: Non-invasive therapy for pain relief
Staudt, M. D., Pouratian, N., Kubanek, J., & Pilitsis, J. G. (2025) · Frontiers in Pain Research · doi:10.3389/fpain.2025.1690467 · Cited by 1
Gaab, J., Locher, C., & Gerger, H. (2017) · Verhaltenstherapie · doi:10.1159/000453056
Schulterschmerz durch Läsionen der Rotatorenmanschette
Lewis, J. S. (2018) · Der Schmerzpatient · doi:10.1055/s-0043-122100
Canavero, S., & Bonicalzi, V. (2018) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-56765-5_9
Recherche en psychothérapie : La pointe de l’iceberg et le reste
Schulthess, P. (2018) · à jour! Psychotherapie-Berufsentwicklung · doi:10.30820/8245.28
Rutka, J. A. (2019) · Journal of neurosurgery · doi:10.3171/2018.11.jns182794
A Novel Fiber Jamming Theory and Experimental Verification
Chafetz, J. R. (2019) · doi:10.15368/theses.2019.118
Are They Real? Examining the Regulatory Effects of Non-Deceptive Placebos on Emotional Distress
Guevarra, D. A. (2019) · Deep Blue (University of Michigan)
Palmer, J. K. (2022) · Queensland University of Technology · doi:10.5204/thesis.eprints.228686
Wang, J.-F., Zhao, L.-B., Bin, Y., Zhang, K.-L., Sun, C., Wang, Y., Feng, X., Ji, J., He, L.-S., Chen, F.-Y., et al. (2022) · Frontiers in Oncology · doi:10.3389/fonc.2022.796983
Binda, G. A., Amato, A., & Schultz, J. (2022) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-93761-4_28
Special medical conditions and therapeutic interventions
Benedetti, F. (2020) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780198843177.003.0016
Elhence, A., Mahapatra, S. J., & Garg, P. K. (2022) · doi:10.1093/med/9780192858443.003.0005
Schartner, E. (2023) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-662-66434-6_6
Leopold, S. S. (2023) · Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research · doi:10.1097/corr.0000000000002604
Collura, T. F., Keizer, A. W., Pérez-Elvira, R., Warner, S., & Feiner, T. F. (2023) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-323-89827-0.00027-9
ASPECTOS CONTROVERSOS DOS ENSAIOS CIRÚRGICOS CONTROLADOS POR PLACEBO: UMA VISÃO GERAL
Frias, A. C. B. D., Ferreira, M. S., Lobo, T. V., Carvalho-da-Silva, V. M. O., Féo, V. G., Santos, C. F. D. A., & Vasconcellos, M. (2023) · Revista Foco · doi:10.54751/revistafoco.v16n11-005
Alternativmedizin, Komplementärmedizin oder evidenzbasierte Medizin?
Erbas-Kronwitter, A. (2024) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-662-68140-4_2
Telaprolu, H., & Rana, S. S. (2024) · Journal of Digestive Endoscopy · doi:10.1055/s-0044-1789009
Teunis, T., Burnier, M., Chin, A. Y. H., & Ring, D. (2024) · Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume) · doi:10.1177/17531934241254705
Genetic Correlations between Migraine and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Krijnen, N. A., & Teunis, T. (2024) · Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery · doi:10.1097/prs.0000000000011772
Teunis, T., & Ring, D. (2024) · Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume) · doi:10.1177/17531934241252719
Leopold, S. S. (2025) · Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research · doi:10.1097/corr.0000000000003479
Das Gehirn ist heute die Psyche von gestern
Nilges, P. (2025) · Die Orthopädie · doi:10.1007/s00132-025-04691-y
Compère, V. N., Balci, S., Heinz, C., Schade‐Brittinger, C., Rastan, A. J., Salzmann-Djufri, M., Niemann, B., Boening, A., Choi, Y., Zarski, A., et al. (2025) · BMJ Open · doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2024-092482
Pontén, M., Thompson, W. H., Blomé, S., Lundqvist, V. V., Kaptchuk, T. J., Gerdhem, P., Lalouni, M., & Jensen, K. B. (2025) · PAIN Reports · doi:10.1097/pr9.0000000000001340
Self-citationMiscellaneous neurologic conditions with a few or no available data
Benedetti, F., & Shaibani, A. I. (2025) · Handbook of clinical neurology · doi:10.1016/b978-0-443-29884-4.00007-8
Hinwood, M., Wall, L., Lang, D., Balogh, Z. J., Smith, A., Dowsey, M., Clarke, P., Choong, P., Bunzli, S., & Paolucci, F. (2022) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.19589157
Hinwood, M., Wall, L., Lang, D., Balogh, Z. J., Smith, A., Dowsey, M., Clarke, P., Choong, P., Bunzli, S., & Paolucci, F. (2022) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.19589163
Olesen, S. S., Drewes, A. M., Gaud, R., Tandan, M., Lakhtakia, S., Ramchandani, M. J., Rao, G. V., Reddy, D. N., & Talukdar, R. (2020) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.12143922
Hinwood, M., Wall, L., Lang, D., Balogh, Z. J., Smith, A., Dowsey, M., Clarke, P., Choong, P., Bunzli, S., & Paolucci, F. (2022) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.19589151
Hinwood, M., Wall, L., Lang, D., Balogh, Z. J., Smith, A., Dowsey, M., Clarke, P., Choong, P., Bunzli, S., & Paolucci, F. (2022) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.19589172
Hinwood, M., Wall, L., Lang, D., Balogh, Z. J., Smith, A., Dowsey, M., Clarke, P., Choong, P., Bunzli, S., & Paolucci, F. (2022) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.19589166
Gefühle existieren nicht, sie entstehen
Capel, P. J. A. (2026) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-662-71831-5_21
Gregory, E. (2026) · Frontiers in Pain Research · doi:10.3389/fpain.2026.1638970
Odonkor, C. A., Siddique, M. U., Dodurgali, M. R., Palaniappan, S., Harris, C., Noori, S., Diep, J., Rosenberg, J., Kadian, S. K., Kadian, M., et al. (2026) · Interventional Pain Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.inpm.2026.100799
Salzmann, S., Salzmann-Djufri, M., & Wilhelm, M. (2026) · Kardiologie up2date · doi:10.1055/a-2755-8438
Reeves, J. M., Elkins, M., Pinto, R. Z., Wong, K., Harris, I. A., Robertson, L. S., Robinson, E. M., & Stubbs, P. W. (2026) · Physical Therapy Reviews · doi:10.1080/10833196.2026.2707057
Sadiq, K. O., Belavadi, R., Lakshminarayanan, S., Fontaine-Nicola, A., & Bennett, R. D. (2026) · International Journal of Colorectal Disease · doi:10.1007/s00384-026-05196-6
Pauna, H. F., da Silva, V. A. R., Lavinsky, J., Barros, C. D. G. C., Mangia, L. R. L., Grasel, S. S., Beck, R. M. D. O., Salmito, M. C., Lopes, K. D. C., Mezzalira, R., et al. (2026) · Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology · doi:10.1016/j.bjorl.2026.101926
Metadata
- Authors
- Jonas, W. B., Crawford, C., Colloca, L., Kaptchuk, T. J., Moseley, B., Miller, F. G., Kriston, L., Linde, K., & Meissner, K.
- Affiliations
- Samueli Institute (US)
- University of Maryland, Baltimore (US)
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (US)
- Houston Methodist (US)
- National Institutes of Health (US)
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (DE)
- Technical University of Munich (DE)
- Institut für Medizinische Psychologie (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Jonas, Wayne B
- ORCID
- Venue
- BMJ Open
- Publisher
- BMJ
- Published
- 2015-12
- Volume
- 5
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- e009655
- ISSN
- 2044-6055 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC4679929
- OpenAlex
- W2265877516
- Cited by
- 183
- References
- 107
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 19 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 28 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 26 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 4
- FWCI
- 1.51
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by-nc
- Locations
- BMJ Open (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard (DASH) (Harvard University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Open access LMU (Ludwid Maxmilian's Universitat Munchen) (submittedVersion)
- mediaTUM – the media and publications repository of the Technical University Munich (Technical University Munich) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Samueli Institute
- Medical Research and Materiel Command (W81XWH-08-1-0615)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Pain Management and Placebo Effect
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Statistics, Probability and Uncertainty › Meta-analysis and systematic reviews
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
- Keywords
- surgery, invasive procedures, sham surgery, placebo response, non-specific effects, endoscopy, percutaneous intervention, obesity, weight loss, gastroesophageal reflux disease, treatment effectiveness, risk of bias, endoscopic surgery
- MeSH terms
- Gastroesophageal Reflux, Humans, Placebo Effect, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Chronic Pain
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
