Patients Given Placebos Instead of Medicine

Many US Physicians Not Honest with their Patients

According to a study published today in the British Medical Journal, half of US doctors give their patients placebo, instead of drugs. According to the survey, the placebos could be vitamins or drugs that may not be particularly helpful. Worse, many physicians do not tell their patients what they are doing, which flies in the face of informed consent.

While a placebo is defined as a sugar pill used in comparative clinical trials and medical research, the authors of this survey defined placebo as any treatment given by the physician that wouldn't necessarily benefit the patient.

The findings are in direct contradiction to the American Medical Association's recommendations that doctors use treatments with the full knowledge of their patient.

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Published on Oct-24-08