Is Your Doctor Giving You Placebo Pills?

Do you know what your doctor is really giving you when he hands you a prescription? Surprisingly, what you think is a legitimate medication may actually be a placebo pill. According to a survey conducted on the web of internal medicine doctors from three Chicago medical schools, forty-five percent admitted to having given a patient placebo pills to patients at some point in their medical career. Although some of these medications were not “sugar pills”, many of them were nonprescription medications without proven health benefits such as vitamins or nutritional supplements.

Is this practice in any way justified? It’s interesting to note that the placebo effect is very real. There’s no doubt that there’s a strong connection between the mind and body and that what we believe often influences what is experienced. This is particularly true when it comes to treatment of psychological disorders such as depression or anxiety where the mind plays such an integral role in the symptoms that are experienced. Most doctors agree since only twelve percent say they would find it unacceptable to give a patient placebo pills.

Is it an ethical practice for doctors to give their patients placebo pills in lieu of traditional prescription medications? Does the end result justify the means? This is certainly a question where there is no absolute right or wrong answer. To give a patient placebo pills or questionable supplements with no known health value in the hope that their belief is strong enough to overcome their condition would seem to be a violation of the contract between patient and doctor. Plus, there’s the issue of charging the patient for a pill that has no obvious value.

One could argue that when you see certain alternative practitioners, the treatments they prescribe have no documented effectiveness in some cases and some of the improvement seen may very well be due to the placebo effect. Why is the standard different for medical doctors? The answer may lie in the fact that in the case of the alternative practitioner, the patient is aware that they’re receiving treatments that aren’t proven or endorsed by the conventional medical community. When a patient sees a licensed M.D., there’s the assumption that the treatments they’re receiving are tested and proven unless otherwise stated.

If anything, the results of this study should reiterate the importance of questioning your doctor about proposed treatments and any medications that are given or prescribed. If you’re handed a pill to take by your doctor, ask for the name of the medication and why this particular medication is being used. You can look up the medication online when you get home at pdrhealth.com and get full information on it to make sure you aren’t being given placebo pills.

It’s also important to maintain good communication with your doctor. Why not come right out and ask how your doctor feels about the practice of giving placebo pills to patients? If your doctor is unwilling to discuss this issue with you, it may be best to find another physician. The bottom line is stay involved in your own medical care and don’t hesitate to question any medications or treatments you’re given.