Doctors Prescribe “Placebos”

I recently came across an interesting article in the NY Times about the use of placebos in medicine. The article stated, “Half of all American doctors responding to a nationwide survey say they regularly prescribe placebos to patients.”  

Hmmmm… it continues:

The most common placebos the American doctors reported using were headache pills and vitamins, but a significant number also reported prescribing antibiotics and sedatives. Although these drugs, contrary to the usual definition of placebos, are not inert, doctors reported using them for their effect on patients’ psyches, not their bodies.

There are a lot of ethical issues that arise out of all this (e.g., honest communication with patients, “Obecalp” for kids). But even before those controversies are discussed, is it true that we have become so pharmaceutically dependent that now “headache” pills, vitamins, antibiotics and sedatives are considered “placebos”?

Read the article and share your thoughts…