I just read an article that said that nearly half of the doctors in a survey prescribe and give their patients placebos. “About half of the 679 US internists and rheumatologists questioned reported prescribing placebo treatments to their patients on a regular basis.”[Tilburt, J.C. BMJ, online first edition, Oct. 24, 2008] And many do not tell heir patients they are doing so. I figured it happens, but I was shocked at the number of doctors who admitted to doing it.

I feel it is unethical for professionals to do this. There is a great focus on pain patients being labeled as seekers when they take meds that provide no relief and continue – in desperation – to try to find someone to help them. Now I am curious – how many of those instances can be tied to a patient being given a placebo? No wonder it wouldn’t work! And yet the first to be scrutinized is the patient, not the prescriber. This would make for a very interesting and important research study.

Now these are my own personal comments and opinions on the issues around placebos. If you would like to share your comments, please visit either my pain management and/or migraine message boards and share your thoughts. Put the word “Placebo” in your subject line. Let’s hear what people have to say about this controversial topic. Look forward to hearing from you!

Related Topics:

• WebMD Video: How Do Placebos Work?
• 50% of Doctors Prescribe Placebos