Kiyoshi Suzuki, MD, PhD,
President, MOA Health Science Foundation

Numerous papers regarding religion and medicine have been reported from around the world, particularly from the United States. Among them, there are contents that make one instinctively question, “Is that really true?” and my interest is never-ending. The reason there are many studies on religion in the United States is likely because there are various people who believe in different religions, including those who faithfully practice unique doctrines. It is an extremely important issue whether these individuals are healthier compared to the general population and what considerations are necessary when treating them.

 

１．Does being prayed for improve the course of treatment?

When I worked at a specialized heart disease hospital, I encountered a paper regarding the effects of prayer that I will introduce here (Arch Intern Med 1999;159:2273-78). Patients admitted to the cardiac intensive care unit were divided into two groups: one group received only standard medical treatment, while the other group received standard treatment along with prayers from strangers for the patients (Figure 1).

 

To ensure fairness, as the patients varied in illness, age, and severity, the group assignment was determined solely based on their admission numbers. A team of five individuals praying was given only the names of the patients (e.g., “Kiyoshi”). The patients were unaware of whether they were being prayed for, and neither the researchers nor the individual prayers had direct knowledge of the patients, making this a highly reliable study method known as double-blind, which allows for the exclusion of placebo effects.

 

The praying team individually prayed for four weeks for the patients whose names they only knew, saying, “May they recover quickly without complications.” As a result, while there was no difference in the length of hospital stay between the patients who were prayed for and those receiving only standard medical care, the patients who were prayed for experienced fewer complications during their hospitalization. I was astonished by these results. Further investigation revealed that similar studies had been conducted previously (South Med J 1988;81:826-829), and in those cases, patients prayed for by strangers required significantly fewer medications.

 

Among the patients, there are those who experience miraculous recoveries as well as those who continue to worsen. This made me ponder whether such factors could be influencing outcomes, leading me to re-evaluate the significance of religion. Shortly thereafter, I left the hospital and began to work at the MOA clinic, making this paper particularly unforgettable for me.

 

２．What is the Truth about the Effects of Prayer?

Subsequently, several similar studies regarding the effects of prayer have been conducted. While there are reports that suggest a treatment effect when prayers are offered in person, many studies indicate that prayers conducted without the patient’s knowledge do not have therapeutic effects. Upon reflection, there is a significant gap in these studies. Do you know what it is?

 

The gap lies in the failure to investigate how much family and friends pray for the patients. Since they are likely to pray much more seriously and several times a day compared to others, ignoring this aspect lacks balance. However, it may be challenging to measure the quantity and quality of prayers from family and friends. Asking family and friends to pray for the patient’s recovery a certain number of times a day for the purpose of research, or to refrain from praying for their recovery, seems rather odd (Figure 2).

 

When patients are divided based on their belief or non-belief in their faith, it is generally observed that believers with faith tend to have better outcomes. Even when dividing patients based on whether they have family, it has been found that those living alone do not have as good outcomes. This will be introduced again later. In short, it is scientifically challenging to measure any method used. Perhaps these studies were planned with the assumption that it is normal for family to pray for the patient.

 

Ultimately, I believe that it is still unclear whether prayers from strangers improve illness. By the way, in my experience, patients who frequently received visits from family tended to have better outcomes, and those who received the Okada Purifying TherapyOkada Purifying Therapy frequently before and after heart surgery seemed to require less medication. I regret that this was not thoroughly studied at the time I was working at the hospital.

 

 

【Profile】
Kiyoshi Suzuki graduated from Chiba University School of Medicine in 1981. He holds a Doctor of Medicine. After serving as deputy director of pediatrics at Sakakibara Memorial Hospital, working at Seijo Clinic, and serving as director of Gyokusenkai MOA Takanawa Clinic and Tokyo Wellness Center, he is now chairman of the MOA Health Science Center (foundation) and honorary director of Tokyo Wellness Center. He is also the director of the Japan Society for Integrative Medicine and chairman of the International Committee. In 1994, he was awarded the Young Investigator’s Award by the Japanese Society of Pediatric Cardiology.