Placebo Is Prescribed by Half of Internists and Rheumatologists

What would you think if someone told you about half of American doctors regularly give their patients a placebo? A placebo is a treatment that has no therapeutic value -- for example, a sugar pill, or an antibiotic prescribed to treat a virus. Unbelievable? Apparently we should believe it. Researchers at the U.S. National Institutes of Health randomly sent surveys to 1,200 internists and rheumatologists. According to the study published October 23, 2008 in BMJ, there were 679 doctors who responded and 62% believed using a placebo was acceptable.

Interestingly, 70% described the treatment to their patients as "a potentially beneficial medicine not typically used for your condition" while only 5% actually called it a "placebo". Most of the doctors did use real medication to serve as placebo -- 41% used painkillers, 38% used vitamins, 13% used sedatives, 2% used sugar pills. Is it ethical for doctors to use placebo? Would you feel ripped off if you knew you were given a placebo? Some doctors believe it would undermine the placebo to be forthcoming with their patient while others think placebo can still be effective if patients are told the truth.

Related Resources:

• Is Every Placebo the Same?
• What Is the Placebo Effect?
• The Healing Power of Placebos
• Brain Releases Endorphins After Placebo
• 10 Most Popular Arthritis Drugs Prescribed by Rheumatologists

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