Placebo Effect- The German Way

Photo:http://newhealthadvances.com/archives/page/4/

Today is my first day in several weeks that I am not seeing patients. I have been knee deep in clinical medicine and infectious diseases consults so this brief article on placebos was timely. 

This is not to imply that I endorse placebos in clinical medicine, unlike in research, where there is informed, written consent. I found it quite noteworthy that half of Germany's doctors reported prescribing  placebos (vitamin pills and homeopathic medicine) for minor illnesses. I would delve into greater detail on the actual German Medical Association report but my German is not so good.

To me this raises two important issues: The ethics of placebos in clinical medicine (as there is a level of dishonesty in placebo use)  AND the potential efficacy of vitamins and homeopathic remedies for minor illnesses.

I would love to know what sort of response we would receive here were the American Medical Association to poll its members about the use of placebos in clinical medicine.