Should we let people take placebos on the NHS?It's the obvious question isn't it. If they get benefits from placebos, should we let people have them on the NHS?
When my wife was pregnant last time, the consultant referred her to an acupuncturist. He did it through gritted teeth - I could see the pain it was causing him hidden beneath his smile. However, he did it, and she got poitive benefits from it. I didn't mention the research findings, as that might have broken the spell.
This backfired horribly when my back siezed up and she forced me to go through a session of the useless quackery myself, despite my endless protestations the 'it won't work for me' - needless to say it was utterly pointless (not the needles - they were very pointy! hahahaaaaaa! I'm so funny!).
So what am I to do? What are we to do as a society? If people get positive outcomes from this kind of thing, shouldn't we be helping them to feel better? But then again, it feels so wrong to do it.
What would you do if it was your missus with the bad back? Would you let her go and keep schtum?
(When my wife was pregnant last time, the consultant referred her to an acupuncturist. He did it through gritted teeth - I could see the pain it was causing him hidden beneath his smile. However, he did it, and she got poitive benefits from it. I didn't mention the research findings, as that might have broken the spell.
This backfired horribly when my back siezed up and she forced me to go through a session of the useless quackery myself, despite my endless protestations the 'it won't work for me' - needless to say it was utterly pointless (not the needles - they were very pointy! hahahaaaaaa! I'm so funny!).
So what am I to do? What are we to do as a society? If people get positive outcomes from this kind of thing, shouldn't we be helping them to feel better? But then again, it feels so wrong to do it.
What would you do if it was your missus with the bad back? Would you let her go and keep schtum?
crab_bloke),
Wed 3 Sep 2008, 16:00,
archived)