Doctors say placebo use is common and often given to patients
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Placebos are a surprisingly common prescription, according to a U.S. study in which nearly half of the doctors surveyed said they had doled out a dummy pill at some point.
Researchers at the University of Chicago said on Thursday the study raises ethical questions and suggests a need for greater recognition and understanding of placebo use.
"It illustrates that doctors believe expectation and belief have therapeutic potential," said Rachel Sherman, a medical student at the University of Chicago, whose study was published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
The idea behind placebos is that when patients think they are getting an effective treatment, they sometimes feel better, even though the pill has no proven benefit.
They are often used in clinical trials to compare the benefits of drugs, and many times patients taking placebos show some improvement. But few studies have shown how doctors use placebos in routine practice.
Sherman and Dr. John Hickner, a family medicine professor at the University of Chicago, sent surveys to 466 internists at three Chicago-area academic medical centers. About half, or 231, responded.
Of those, 45 percent said they had used a placebo during their clinical practice, a number that surprised the researchers. But 12 percent of those surveyed said placebos should never be used.
"I think this shows that it strikes a chord among physicians. We may underestimate the body's natural healing potential," Sherman said in a telephone interview. "This shows that doctors may think that, too."
But Sherman said the practice brings up ethical issues, including whether a doctor has an obligation to provide patients with informed consent.
Of respondents who reported using a placebo in clinical practice, 34 percent said they told the patients the substance was something that "may help and will not hurt."
About a third gave other information to patients including, "this may help you but I am not sure how it works."
Nineteen percent said it was a "medication," and 9 percent called it "a medicine with no specific effect." Only 4 percent of the doctors said, "it is a placebo."
Part of the reason doctors are not forthcoming about giving a placebo is that in order for it to work, patients need to believe it can help, Sherman said.
One way around this dilemma is to ask all new patients for their consent in advance. "The patient could say no. Then you avoid any of these ethical questions," Sherman said.
Credit for Article
By Julie Steenhuysen
CHICAGO (Reuters)
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
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3 comments:
For those that don't know a "Placebo" or often called "Sugar Pill" amoung Medical Professionals and Drug Companie and is given in many drug tests when trying to do studies or get a new Drug approved in FDA Tests. When you see the results of such tests or disclaimers often in many commercials" You may experience sudden urge to Vomit or Your Heart will stop by taking Claritias - Ok that is a little dramatic but you get the idea. They usually give 1000 or so test patients the real drug in testing and the other half a Placebo. That way they can truly tell the results and reactions of the effetive properties of the drug. Because we all create many things in our minds, many of the test patients that were given the Placebo claim to feel better,and or claim that their symptoms are worse when in fact nothing for them has changed, It's also called the Placebo effect. Power of the Mind over body. I thought this article was both interesting and disturbing at the same time. When you go see your trusted Medical Professional you rely on them to find out what is wrong with you, they feel like that have to find what is wrong with you as well, and that is why they call it a Practice, they don't always know, yet they want to fix it, they feel compelled to find what is wrong, and by just giving patients a "Sugar Pill" and sending them home in my opinion is poor "Pratice".
Not all Doctors do this. As a N.P. I try my very Best to do the very Best for my Patients. Your right about several things you said and it is poor practice , but not uncommon at all. For some Doctors it is an easy fix for some that think they have every illness on the planet. The see something on TV and say I have that or see a drug on TV and come in thinking they need it. When in fact they are in Perfect Health. I enjoy reading your posts though. Keep up the great work.
Thank you! I am really trying to help here and I am happy to see a Medical Professional like yourself see that. My goal is to provide information to obtain safe, legal and affordable medications to those that really need them. Why suffer if you don't have to. Any posts or contributions you would like to give in the future would be appreciated!
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