I agree that the placebo effect should be put to use in medicine
But wouldn't it be better if we harnessed the power of the placebo without:
a) telling people that conventional medicine is 'toxic' and 'dangerous'
b) intentionally confusing people about science and muddying the waters of evidence
c) making people doubt the idea of evidence based science altogether
d) having this bizarre Christian/ritualistic belief underlying the whole thing

Surely something like this: www.boingboing.net/2008/05/29/placebo-pills-made-f.html is a lot better than any anti-enlightenment snake oil claptrap.
(leviticus no longer likes the cut of your gib on, Tue 26 Jul 2011, 12:53, 1 reply)

Agreed on all points.

I think this depends on the person you are seeing.
I was too young to really remember the guy at all, but my parents are highly rational people who take the word of science over anything unsubstantiated, so I doubt he tried to push any of this nonsense on them.
(tyrellsOwl, Tue 26 Jul 2011, 13:14, closed)

In Ben Goldacre's book...
He talks about a time (before 1910, if I remember correctly) when doctors could legally use placebos on patients, and were under no obligation to inform them of the truth. I think this was a better system. The whole idea of patient choice is bullshit anyway - doctors are experts, and as anyone here who has been discussing anxiety attacks can tell you, your own opinion on your own health is practically worthless because it is so easily distorted. The more choices you have, the more likely it is that you'll make the wrong choice.

I'm sure every GP has wished he could just give a sugar pill or a saltwater injection to every hypochondriac, stress-head etc. (even people with ulcers, sores, and many of the other illnesses which amazingly benefit from the placebo effect).

It's easier with kids though, because parents can give consent. And most parents are quite used to lying to kids to make them feel better anyway.

The experience you describe actually sounds great (I love the flourishes - no mint or licorice - awesome). I just wish this was on the NHS, and part of evidence based practice rather than hokey homeopathy.
(leviticus no longer likes the cut of your gib on, Tue 26 Jul 2011, 14:01, closed)

Some great valid points in the posts above
I have read Ben Goldacre's book, it's a great book.

RE tyrellsOwl's story - Aside from placebo, there is also a tendancy that people have which is to take a treatment whilst ill, and once the symptoms disappear to assume that the pill you have taken or the tiger penis you have strapped to your head has cured whatever it was.

The truth is often that illness just clears up by itself. From the way you describe it, it sounds like this may have happened. The placebo may have helped. However, if you know it's a sugar pill it will do nothing, unless you truly believe in the healing power of Snickers™.

The power of placebo is moderate against certain illnesses and conditions, but unfortunately homeopathy in general is a hard sell bullshit organisation which causes people to deprive themselves of effective treatment. It should be *banned*.

I like the point about doctors being able to prescribe placebo, however. This may be appropriate for some patients, but there are ethical concerns.
(Stiltzkin, Tue 26 Jul 2011, 16:25, closed)

I hear Dr. Goldacre is writing a new book
about epdemiology. I'm really looking forward to it, and it's the best and most acceptable reason why he hasn't updated his website much lately.

I'd like to see homeopathy banned, or at least forced to carry a disclaimer, but whenever I express views like this I can't help but feel I've fallen in the trap of the right wing pundits who accuse the left of state interventionism, curtailing freedoms and nannying the public. Which is all true, I guess, but not necessarily a bad thing!
(leviticus no longer likes the cut of your gib on, Wed 27 Jul 2011, 12:27, closed)

Well, it did clear up by itself, because sugar pills sure didnt do it!

However, it was made better by the experience. Like I said, it was reocurring for years, very severely, until the homeopathy treatment, after which I would not even break out at all for months.
(tyrellsOwl, Wed 27 Jul 2011, 13:06, closed)