Five minutes of prayer reduces pain and anxiety in primary care patients, randomized trial finds

A randomized controlled trial conducted at the University of Maryland School of Medicine has found that a five-minute session of proximal intercessory prayer (PIP)—in-person prayer offered by a trained volunteer—significantly reduced pain and anxiety in primary care patients compared to a music control group. The findings, published in the Annals of Family Medicine, suggest that proximal intercessory prayer may offer a practical, non-pharmacologic complement to conventional care, particularly for underserved populations.