What do you think about contextual factors and their non-specific treatment effects? Do you think we should make use of these effects?
Delivering a treatment that works is the most important part. Whether the effect is specific or non-specific does not matter.
Always treat patients with the right treatment (i.e. a treatment with a large specific effect). Non-specific effects are not that important.
Choosing a treatment that fits the patient, by taking contextual factors and potential non-specific effects into account, and which is effective for their particular problem (i.e. a treatment with a sufficient specific effect) is preferable.
Contextual factors and non-specific effects make or break your treatment. These should be prioritized in the treatment decision.
Other opinion