Most doctors have given placebos: survey

AFP/LondonSome 97% of family doctors admit giving patients placebos, and more than three-quarters say they prescribe them at least once a week, a survey released yesterday found. Researchers at the universities of Oxford and Southampton found that the vast majority of general practitioners (GPs) had used “impure” placebos, or unproven treatments.These include low doses of effective medicines, antibiotics for suspected viral infections, or nutritional supplements not shown to help a particular condition.Some 12% of doctors had used “pure” placebos, such as sugar pills or saline solutions, which contain no active ingredients at all, according to responses from a representative sample of 783 doctors surveyed online.Administering placebos in general practice contradicts ethical guidelines set out by the General Medical Council, Britain’s regulator for doctors.Placebos were given to “induce psychological treatment effects” because patients pushed for treatment or to reassure them, the doctors told researchers, while the study added that levels were similar to that found in other countries.But more than 90% of doctors objected to placebo use where it could endanger trust between patient and doctor, while more than 80% said they opposed it where deception was involved.“This is not about doctors deceiving patients,” said Jeremy Howick, co-lead author of the study. “The study shows that placebo use is widespread in the UK, and doctors clearly believe that placebos can help patients.” Placebo use outside clinical trials - where they are used for comparison purposes to test the effectiveness of a treatment, and where patients give informed consent- is generally considered unethical.A 2008 US survey focusing on rheumatologists and internal medicine practitioners found that about half used placebos, in contravention of guidelines.