Evidence based medicine (EBM) = population, intervention, comparison and outcome (PICO). In other words, PICO = RCT Randomized Control Trials. To me, EBM is medical instrumentalism (instrumentalism is one of philosophies of sciences): pick a treatment that works, without understanding the underlying mechanism. Even today, we use many drugs with unknown mechanisms of action[0].
Often times, you can find cures just by discovering mechanism of action, without PICO/RCT: for example, Helicobacter pylori causing peptic ulcers.
Placebo effect is NOT magic, but we don't understand the mechanism. Good relationship between doctors and patients help recover patients. Patients prefer to see particular doctors, even if the latter prescribe same medications as others, yet the differential effects on patients (when treated by preferred doctors vs others) is non-trivial.
Often times, you can find cures just by discovering mechanism of action, without PICO/RCT: for example, Helicobacter pylori causing peptic ulcers.
Placebo effect is NOT magic, but we don't understand the mechanism. Good relationship between doctors and patients help recover patients. Patients prefer to see particular doctors, even if the latter prescribe same medications as others, yet the differential effects on patients (when treated by preferred doctors vs others) is non-trivial.
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Drugs_with_unknown_me...