Jeremy Howick is a Canadian-born, British residing clinical epidemiologist and philosopher of science. He researches evidence-based medicine, clinical empathy and the philosophy of medicine, including the use of placebos in clinical practice and clinical trials.[1][2] He is the author of over 100 peer-reviewed papers, as well as two books, The Philosophy of Evidence-Based Medicine in 2011,[3] and Doctor You in 2017.[4] In 2016, he received the Dawkins & Strutt grant from the British Medical Association to study pain treatment.[5] He publishes in Philosophy of Medicine and medical journals.[6] He is a member of the Sigma Xi research honours society.[7]
As a freshman at Dartmouth College, Howick learned to row. He subsequently competed in internationals for Canada at the 1994 World Championships, and won a silver medal at the 1994 Commonwealth Games.[10] He also competed in The Boat Race 1996 representing Oxford.[citation needed]
His research currently focuses on empathy, where his main contribution has been to evaluate empathy in healthcare the same way drugs are evaluated, namely with systematic reviews of randomised trials.[15][16] He recently conducted a study showing that the definition of empathy is not as confusing as previously assumed.[17]
His work on placebo effects culminated in a book The Power of Placebos: How the Science of Placebos and Nocebos Can Improve Health Care.[18] His research in this area also includes a systematic review suggesting that the magnitude of placebo effects is similar to the magnitude of drug effects, most notably for treating pain (although the latter includes the placebo effect).[19] and another suggesting that 'honest' placebos (that patients know are placebos) can also be effective.[20]
His research has been translated for popular audiences in his book Doctor You.[21]
^Howick, Jeremy (14 November 2023). The Power of Placebos: How the Science of Placebos and Nocebos Can Improve Health Care. Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN9781421446387.
