Effects of remote, retroactive intercessory prayer on outcomes in patients with bloodstream infection: randomised controlled trial

doi:10.1136/bmj.323.7327.1450

BMJ 2001;323:1450-1451 ( 22-29 December )

Beyond science?

Effects of remote, retroactive intercessory prayer on outcomes in patients with bloodstream infection: randomised controlled trial

Leonard Leibovici, professor.

Department of Medicine, Beilinson Campus, Rabin Medical Center, Petah-Tiqva 49100, Israel

leibovic{at}post.tau.ac.il

Objective: To determine whether remote, retroactive intercessoryprayer, said for a group of patients with a bloodstream infection,has an effect onoutcomes.
Design: Double blind, parallel group, randomisedcontrolled trial of a retroactiveintervention.
Setting: Universityhospital.
Subjects: All 3393 adult patients whose bloodstreaminfection was detected at the hospital in 1990-6.
Intervention: In July 2000 patients were randomised to acontrol group and an intervention group. A remote, retroactiveintercessory prayer was said for the well being and full recoveryof the interventiongroup.
Main outcome measures: Mortality in hospital, length of stay inhospital, and duration offever.
Results: Mortality was 28.1% (475/1691) in the interventiongroup and 30.2% (514/1702) in the control group (P for difference=0.4).Length of stay in hospital and duration of fever were significantlyshorter in the intervention group than in the control group (P=0.01and P=0.04,respectively).
Conclusions: Remote, retroactive intercessory prayer saidfor a group is associated with a shorter stay in hospital andshorter duration of fever in patients with a bloodstream infectionand should be considered for use in clinicalpractice.

What is already known on this topic
Two randomised controlled trials of remote intercessory prayer (praying for persons unknown) showed a beneficial effect in patients in an intensive coronary care unit

A recent systematic review found that 57% of the randomised, placebo controlled trials of distant healing showed a positive treatment effect

What this study adds
Remote intercessory prayer said for a group of patients is associated with a shorter hospital stay and shorter duration of fever in patients with a bloodstream infection, even when the intervention is performed 4-10 years after the infection

© BMJ 2001

CiteULike

Complore

Connotea

Del.icio.us Add to Digg

Digg

Technorati What's this?

Relevant Articles

Effect of retroactive intercessory prayer: Andrew M Thornett, Shehan Hettiaratchy, Carolyn Hemsley, John Hopkins, Michael J Brownnutt, Christopher I Price, Max Lagnado, Stephan A Schwartz, Stephen L Black, and Leonard Leibovici
BMJ 2002 324: 1037. [Extract] [Full Text]

The BMJ takes reason's last step
BMJ 2001 323: 0. [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

Hodge, D. R. (2007). A Systematic Review of the Empirical Literature on Intercessory Prayer. Research on Social Work Practice 17: 174-187 [Abstract]
Nordstrom, C.-H. (2006). RE: "EXPOSURE TO LOUD NOISE AND RISK OF ACOUSTIC NEUROMA". Am J Epidemiol 164: 706-706 [Full text]
Sylvestre, M.-P., Huszti, E., Hanley, J. A. (2006). Do OSCAR winners live longer than less successful peers? A reanalysis of the evidence.. ANN INTERN MED 145: 361-363 [Abstract] [Full text]
Turner, D D (2006). Just another drug? A philosophical assessment of randomised controlled studies on intercessory prayer.. J. Med. Ethics 32: 487-490 [Abstract] [Full text]
Bell, R. A., Suerken, C., Quandt, S. A., Grzywacz, J. G., Lang, W., Arcury, T. A. (2005). Prayer for Health Among U.S. Adults: The 2002 National Health Interview Survey. Complementary Health Practice Review 10: 175-188 [Abstract]
Bishop, J. P, Stenger, V. J (2004). Retroactive prayer: lots of history, not much mystery, and no science. BMJ 329: 1444-1446 [Full text]
Hunink, M G M. (2004). Does evidence based medicine do more good than harm?. BMJ 329: 1051-1051 [Full text]
Olshansky, B., Dossey, L. (2003). Retroactive prayer: a preposterous hypothesis?. BMJ 327: 1465-1468 [Full text]
Thornett, A. M, Hettiaratchy, S., Hemsley, C., Hopkins, J., Brownnutt, M. J, Price, C. I, Lagnado, M., Schwartz, S. A, Black, S. L, Leibovici, L. (2002). Effect of retroactive intercessory prayer. BMJ 324: 1037-1037 [Full text]
(2002). Start Praying Now to Reduce Last Year's Hospital Stay!. JWatch Emergency Med. 2002: 11-11 [Full text]

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

A cautious approach is needed for the power of prayer: Andrew M Thornett
bmj.com, 21 Dec 2001 [Full text]
So there is a God?!: Michael Gdalevich
bmj.com, 21 Dec 2001 [Full text]
A nonsense joke for the New Year: Yair Yodfat
bmj.com, 21 Dec 2001 [Full text]
There are thousands of suns in the sky above the clouds: Sergio Stagnaro
bmj.com, 21 Dec 2001 [Full text]
You cannae break the laws of physics captain: John Hopkins
bmj.com, 21 Dec 2001 [Full text]
Treat the control group: Martin Bland
bmj.com, 22 Dec 2001 [Full text]
Evidence for Providence Based Medicine: Arthur Leibovitz
bmj.com, 22 Dec 2001 [Full text]
The power of statistics, not prayer: Shehan Hettiaratchy, et al.
bmj.com, 22 Dec 2001 [Full text]
I suggest to cross-over the study groups: Francesco Falaschi
bmj.com, 22 Dec 2001 [Full text]
Occam's razor: j martin dace
bmj.com, 23 Dec 2001 [Full text]
Irony doesn't travel well: Michael Foley
bmj.com, 23 Dec 2001 [Full text]
A CHRISTMAS NIGHTMARE: AN UNETHICAL STUDY APPROVED FOR PUBLICATION IN THE BMJ: Eugenio Pucci
bmj.com, 24 Dec 2001 [Full text]
TWO POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS TO THE RETROACTIVE INTERCESSORY PRAYER EFFECT: Luis C. Silva
bmj.com, 24 Dec 2001 [Full text]
An example of synchronicity?: Ian T Guy
bmj.com, 24 Dec 2001 [Full text]
Re: Treat the control group: Ian Spencer
bmj.com, 24 Dec 2001 [Full text]
Science and Statistics cannot explain how prayer works: Daniel O. Selo-Ojeme
bmj.com, 26 Dec 2001 [Full text]
Confounding effects of future prayer?: Prisca M Middlemiss, et al.
bmj.com, 27 Dec 2001 [Full text]
On behalf of the "Less Sophisticated" general public: Margaret M. Zacny
bmj.com, 28 Dec 2001 [Full text]
Improbable Research: Eberhard W Lisse
bmj.com, 28 Dec 2001 [Full text]
Prayer Study Design: Ronald L. Fredrickson
bmj.com, 28 Dec 2001 [Full text]
Hobgoblins of Consistency: Doug Oman, et al.
bmj.com, 29 Dec 2001 [Full text]
Delay in publication?: Anthony H.C. Campbell
bmj.com, 30 Dec 2001 [Full text]
All RCT require informed consent: Christopher I. Price
bmj.com, 30 Dec 2001 [Full text]
Re: Treat the control group: Haim Shapiro
bmj.com, 31 Dec 2001 [Full text]
The RCT - gold standard or golden calf?: Robert G. Newcombe
bmj.com, 31 Dec 2001 [Full text]
Leibovici's paper is religious propaganda, not science: Riccardo Baschetti
bmj.com, 1 Jan 2002 [Full text]
The effects of retroactive prayer: more questions than answers: Max Lagnado
bmj.com, 1 Jan 2002 [Full text]
The Finger of God: Stephen L. Black
bmj.com, 2 Jan 2002 [Full text]
Doctors prayer for more care: DE Barnes
bmj.com, 3 Jan 2002 [Full text]
Misapprehension of principle: Stephan A. Schwartz
bmj.com, 3 Jan 2002 [Full text]
Beyond Science?: Tobit S Emmens
bmj.com, 3 Jan 2002 [Full text]
Efficacy of prayer underestimated?: Charles S. Harris, PhD
bmj.com, 3 Jan 2002 [Full text]
Retroactive prayer - a solution to the bed crisis?: Adrian Fawcett
bmj.com, 4 Jan 2002 [Full text]
Methodological concerns: William G. Taylor
bmj.com, 6 Jan 2002 [Full text]
Pride and Prejudice, or Prayer?: Max Lagnado
bmj.com, 6 Jan 2002 [Full text]
Time Paradox: Effi Peled
bmj.com, 8 Jan 2002 [Full text]
Healing powers of the human mind: Joseph Watine
bmj.com, 8 Jan 2002 [Full text]
I pray now for my own papers to be published: Luc-Marie JOLY
bmj.com, 11 Jan 2002 [Full text]
Editors beware, everything is possible: Yakov Sivan
bmj.com, 12 Jan 2002 [Full text]
Re: You cannae break the laws of physics captain: Michael J Brownnutt
bmj.com, 15 Jan 2002 [Full text]
Re: Treat the control group: Tracey A Thomas-Falconar, et al.
bmj.com, 15 Jan 2002 [Full text]
Re: So there is a God?!: Tracey A Thomas-Falconar, et al.
bmj.com, 7 Feb 2002 [Full text]
Down to earth: Santiago V Rosales
bmj.com, 15 Jan 2002 [Full text]
A moment of seriousness: Dr Trevor Watts
bmj.com, 16 Jan 2002 [Full text]
To whom did the prayer pray ?: Tomoyuki Hisa
bmj.com, 19 Jan 2002 [Full text]
God and Us: Gabriel Onato, MD, PhD
bmj.com, 23 Jan 2002 [Full text]
Blind faith in the Central Limit Theorem: Robert J. MacG. Dawson
bmj.com, 25 Jan 2002 [Full text]
Therapeutic event or medical fact?: Peter Morrell
bmj.com, 25 Jan 2002 [Full text]
A Question From An Outsider Looking In: Alina Finn
bmj.com, 9 Feb 2002 [Full text]
Regarding retroactive prayer: Gilbert J Custer, M.D.
bmj.com, 13 Feb 2002 [Full text]
Religion and Science: Peter Morrell
bmj.com, 17 Feb 2002 [Full text]
God Listens: William D. Misner Ph.D.
bmj.com, 23 Feb 2002 [Full text]
Do the statistics add up?: Joseph T. Springer
bmj.com, 23 Feb 2002 [Full text]
Randomised trials cannot be used in this way: Peter J Lachmann
bmj.com, 5 Mar 2002 [Full text]
Rule of thumb: Gary S. Hurd, Ph. D.
bmj.com, 5 Mar 2002 [Full text]
Author's comments: Leonard Leibovici
bmj.com, 12 Mar 2002 [Full text]
Thought experiment: Timothy S. Roth, et al.
bmj.com, 14 Apr 2002 [Full text]
which gods ?: Joan S Brodie
bmj.com, 29 Apr 2002 [Full text]
Re: Leibovici's paper is religious propaganda, not science: Michael A. Reeves-McMillan
bmj.com, 1 Nov 2002 [Full text]
Re: The power of statistics, not prayer: Elliott Middleton
bmj.com, 2 Nov 2002 [Full text]
Re: Religion and Science: Reginald.H. Le Sueur
bmj.com, 20 Jun 2003 [Full text]
Re: A Question From An Outsider Looking In: Reginald Le Sueur
bmj.com, 29 Jun 2003 [Full text]
Re: Re: Leibovici's paper is religious propaganda, not science: Reginald Henry Le Sueur
bmj.com, 1 Jul 2003 [Full text]
Leibovici's paper is perfectly valid: Matthew H Lewis
bmj.com, 2 Jul 2003 [Full text]
more propaganda, not science: L S Lerwis
bmj.com, 2 Jul 2003 [Full text]
My manager is going to love this ...: Dr. Matthew L Grove
bmj.com, 2 Jul 2003 [Full text]
Re: more propaganda, not science: Reginald Henry Le Sueur
bmj.com, 3 Jul 2003 [Full text]
Re: Re: more propaganda, not science: M C Feliciello
bmj.com, 3 Jul 2003 [Full text]
Re: Re: more propaganda, not science: L S Lewis
bmj.com, 3 Jul 2003 [Full text]
Re: Re: Re: more propaganda, not science: Reginald Henry Le Sueur
bmj.com, 4 Jul 2003 [Full text]
Re: Re: more propaganda, not science: Matthew H Lewis
bmj.com, 4 Jul 2003 [Full text]
Re: Re: Re: more propaganda, not science: Reginald H. Le Sueur
bmj.com, 5 Jul 2003 [Full text]
Re: Misapprehension of principle: Reginald H. Le Sueur
bmj.com, 7 Jul 2003 [Full text]
Some Logical and Philosophical Objections and a Parallelism to the Newcomb Problem: Deepak N Rama, et al.
bmj.com, 6 Dec 2003 [Full text]
Re: Some Logical and Philosophical Objections and a Parallelism to the Newcomb Problem: Reginald.H. Le Sueur
bmj.com, 9 Dec 2003 [Full text]
Is the power of thought able to create successively older forms of the entire universe once every 10 to the minus 43 of a second?: Richard G Fiddian-Green
bmj.com, 27 Dec 2003 [Full text]
RE: Some Logical and Philosophical Objections and a Parallelism to the Newcomb Problem: Haralabos Gouzinis
bmj.com, 29 Jan 2004 [Full text]
RE: Some Logical and Philosophical Objections and a Parallelism to the Newcomb Problem: Richard G Fiddian-Green
bmj.com, 1 Feb 2004 [Full text]
Effect of Remote, retroactive intercessory prayer on outcome in trauma patients: Adam Starr, et al.
bmj.com, 23 Jun 2004 [Full text]
Re: Effect of Remote, retroactive intercessory prayer on outcome in trauma patients: Howard Mann
bmj.com, 24 Jun 2004 [Full text]
Re: Effect of Remote, retroactive intercessory prayer on outcome in trauma patients: Reginald.H. Le Sueur
bmj.com, 2 Jul 2004 [Full text]
Re: which gods ?: Reginald.H. Le Sueur
bmj.com, 2 Jul 2004 [Full text]
Leibovici's paper is not "flawless": Sergio D Schvartzman
bmj.com, 17 Oct 2004 [Full text]
The Hospital Called Earth: Michael A. Bedar
bmj.com, 13 Apr 2005 [Full text]
a test for the "scientific" community: Martin Ploederl
bmj.com, 4 Aug 2005 [Full text]
Data: Paulo Hubert
bmj.com, 28 Dec 2006 [Full text]
Side effects of the Leibovici RCT of remote, retroactive intercessory prayer: Jose M Lopez-Lozano
bmj.com, 26 May 2008 [Full text]
Free will, determinism and Laplace's demon.: Richard G Fiddian-Green
bmj.com, 8 Feb 2009 [Full text]
Re: Free will, determinism and Laplace's demon.: Michael D Innis
bmj.com, 9 Feb 2009 [Full text]