Volume 67 Number 2 March 2000	back to contents

The Ethics of Placebo Prescribing	140-143
Andrew C. Markus, B.M., B.Ch.
Address correspondence to Dr. A.C. Markus, M.A., B.M., B.Ch., F.R.C.G.P., M.R.C.P., Lashlake House, Thame, Oxon OX9 3AU United Kingdom.

ABSTRACT
The prescribing of placebos brings into focus the practice of being truthful to patients. The term "placebo" has a generally pejorative connotation in medicine, although the Latin is "I shall please." More recently, the definition of "placebo" has expanded to include "medication without proven pharmacological activity." Yet it is known that the use of placebos often leads to substantial improvement. The effectiveness of placebos is a challenging and troubling issue for physicians.

KEY WORDS
Ethics, placebos

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