Prayer helps to heal illnesses

the verdict

REFUTED

the evidence says no

Recorded sources

0 sources for · 2 against

Counts group repeated records of the same source within each side. They do not measure evidence strength or source independence.

Rigorous randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews, such as Cochrane meta-analyses, show that intercessory prayer has no statistically significant effect on physical health outcomes or the healing of illnesses.

The analysis

While some correlational or low-quality studies explore the psychological benefits of personal prayer or spiritual interventions (such as meditation for anxiety), rigorous clinical trials specifically evaluating prayer for physical illness consistently find no measurable therapeutic effect. The Cochrane review and more recent randomized trials of intercessory prayer refute the claim that prayer helps to heal physical illnesses.

Evidence against · 2

Intercessory prayer for the alleviation of ill health.

Recorded source metadata

Roberts L, Ahmed I, Hall S, Davison A. Intercessory prayer for the alleviation of ill health.. 2009. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd000368.pub3

Cochrane systematic review found that intercessory prayer has no clear effect on death, general clinical state, or hospital readmission rates.

Source citation format

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More against · 1

The remote intercessory prayer, during the clinical evolution of patients with COVID -19, randomized double-blind clinical trial

Recorded source metadata

Nathan Valle Soubihe Junior, Â. Bersch-Ferreira, S. M. Tokunaga, Luciana Alves Lopes, A. B. Cavalcanti, Sabrina Bernadez-Pereira. The remote intercessory prayer, during the clinical evolution of patients with COVID -19, randomized double-blind clinical trial. 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e22411

A randomized double-blind clinical trial found that intercessory prayer had no effect on mortality, ICU time, or mechanical ventilation time for hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Source citation format

The paper trail · every fact has a biography

first checked31 Jul 2026

judged → REFUTED · 1831 Jul 2026

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