American doctors confessed they give their patients so-called placebo treatment that has no therapeutic effect. Although the doctors now admitted the fact, they’ve been using this kind of therapy for a long time, prescribing medically neutral drugs. Physiologically, however, placebo effect is beneficial. Patient’s trust in medicine often brings long-awaited “recovery”.
It is always easier to prescribe something than to make patients believe they have no illness. American doctors apply the following fraud scheme quite successfully. They prescribe painkillers to 41% of patients, vitamins – to 38%, and mild antibiotics – to 13%. Other substances are used more rarely.
Nevertheless, the U.S. National Institute of Health considers placebo therapy to be unethical and inappropriate. The doctors, on the contrary, believe it is ethically acceptable.
