Scientific American reports on a $2.4 million dollar study sponsored by the John Templeton Foundation that looked at the effect of third party prayer on patient outcomes.
In a three-year study of 1,800 patients undergoing heart bypass surgery, on the eve of their operation, church groups began two weeks of prayers for one set of patients. A control group of patients were not prayed for. Each recipient had a prayer contingent of about 70, none of whom knew the patient personally.
The study found no differences in survival or complication rates compared to those who did not receive prayers.
The only statistically significant blip appeared in a subgroup of patients who were prayed for and knew it. They experienced a higher rate of post-surgical heart arrhythmias (59% vs 52%) than unaware subjects.
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