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Half of American Doctors Often Prescribe Placebos

Posted by timothy on from the first-do-no-nothin' dept.

damn_registrars writes "'Half of all American doctors responding to a nationwide survey say they regularly prescribe placebos to patients. The results trouble medical ethicists, who say more research is needed to determine whether doctors must deceive patients in order for placebos to work.' The study just quoted goes on to say that the drugs most often used as placebo are headache pills, vitamins, and antibiotics. Studies on doctors in Europe and New Zealand have found similar results."

2 of 238 comments (clear)

  1. SNOW OWL! by Alex+Belits · · Score: 0, Troll

    more research is needed to determine whether doctors must deceive patients in order for placebos to work

    SNOW OWL! SNOW OWL! SNOW OWL!

    (with words "O RLY" overlayed on the photo)

    --
    Contrary to the popular belief, there indeed is no God.
  2. Re:this pisses me off by plover · · Score: 0, Troll

    What's funnier is the Faux News spin on the dispensing of placebos. "About half of American doctors in a new study regularly give their patients placebo pills without telling them."

    Wow. You've sure demonstrated a firm grasp of the 'placebo effect', Faux news! What's next, "Half of all bank robbers aren't told the police will respond when the alarms are tripped?" Freakin' geniuses over there.

    --
    John