Medical, Legality of placebos?

Legality of placebos?

Author	Message
calz.. #1 / 5	Legality of placebos? How is it that placebos are legal? It would seem to me that if, as a patient, you purchase a drug you've been prescribed and it's just sugar (or whatever), there's a few legal complications that arise: 1. If you have been diagnosed with a condition and you aren't given accepted treatment for it, it seems like intentional medical malpractice. 2. A placebo should fall, legally, under the label of quackery (why not?) 3. Getting what you pay for. (Deceptive "bait and switch" to an extreme...). False advertising (what if McDonalds didn't put 100% pure beef in their hamburgers?) So I'm mystified. Are these assumptions erred? If they aren't, why the hell can a doctor knowingly or unknowingly prescribe a placebo? Thanks calzone
Wed, 18 Oct 1995 04:59:50 GMT

Jack Hamilt #2 / 5	Legality of placebos? Quote: >How is it that placebos are legal? It would seem to me that if, as a patient, >you purchase a drug you've been prescribed and it's just sugar (or whatever), >there's a few legal complications that arise: > 1. >If you have been diagnosed with a condition and you aren't given accepted >treatment for it, it seems like intentional medical malpractice. A placebo is an accepted treatment at times. Quote: > 2. >A placebo should fall, legally, under the label of quackery (why not?) Why should it? Placebos are effective under certain circumstances. That's why they're used. Actually, I don't know know anyone who has actually gotten a "sugar pill". I don't know how it could be done, since prescription {filter} are always labeled, and it's easy enough to find out what's in a pill if you have the name. It's more common to prescribe a drug which is effective for something, just not for what you have. Antibiotics for viral infections are the most common such placebo. Quote: > 3. >Getting what you pay for. (Deceptive "bait and switch" to an extreme...). False >advertising (what if McDonalds didn't put 100% pure beef in their hamburgers?) I'm not sure what you mean by this. What do you think you're paying for? You're not entitled to a prescription drug just because you pay for a doctor's appointment. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wed, 18 Oct 1995 05:41:21 GMT

Michael Covingt #3 / 5	Legality of placebos? Quote: >Actually, I don't know know anyone who has actually gotten a "sugar pill". [...] >It's more common to prescribe a drug which is effective for something, just >not for what you have. Antibiotics for viral infections are the most >common such placebo. And presumably this is a matter of degree; it must be common to prescribe a drug that has _some_ chance of giving _some_ benefit, but not a high probability of it, and/or not a large benefit. Right? -- :- Michael A. Covington, Associate Research Scientist : ***** :- The University of Georgia phone 706 542-0358 : * * * :- Athens, Georgia 30602-7415 U.S.A. amateur radio N4TMI : * ** <><
Wed, 18 Oct 1995 08:35:31 GMT

Gordon Ban #4 / 5	Legality of placebos? Quote: >How is it that placebos are legal? It would seem to me that if, as a patient, >you purchase a drug you've been prescribed and it's just sugar (or whatever), >there's a few legal complications that arise: Only research placebos are sugar. Most placebo {filter} do have some pharmacologic effect. The ones usually chosen have low side effects and are given in very low dose. Quote: >If you have been diagnosed with a condition and you aren't given accepted >treatment for it, it seems like intentional medical malpractice. Placebo is an accepted treatment for psychosomatic conditions. Quote: >A placebo should fall, legally, under the label of quackery (why not?) Because they are often effective, often miraculously so. -- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gordon Banks N3JXP \| "Skepticism is the chastity of the intellect, and ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fri, 20 Oct 1995 22:32:17 GMT

Gordon Ban #5 / 5	Legality of placebos? There is no legal question about placebos, they are legal. There is an ethical question, but no consensus. The ethical conflict is with truth-telling. Giving a placebo is to sacrifice truth-telling in favor of beneficence. You give the patient something that may help them but don't let them know the true placebo nature of the agent (or it wouldn't work). -- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gordon Banks N3JXP \| "Skepticism is the chastity of the intellect, and ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fri, 20 Oct 1995 22:35:44 GMT

Page 1 of 1

[ 5 post ]