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A fascinating new article in knowable magazine https://www.knowablemagazine.org/article/mind/2017/rebranding-placebos
Indicates that a group of savvy scientists are looking at the potential for placebo as a front line therapy for a host of illnesses and conditions.
The article is rather long, but to summarize, placebo and its related effects are powerful. So powerful in fact that most medical therapies are only slightly more effective, while running the risk of serious side effects. Therefore the scientists pose the questions. Why not use placebo as a front line therapy, a first line of defense in most cases?
But for this to work, placebo would need a rebrand.
The problem with the placebo effect is that it stops working once a person knows that they are receiving the placebo.
So here is a thought. What if instead of using the word "placebo", we make it ok for doctors to write initial prescriptions for monosaccharide https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monosaccharide and Dihydrogen Monoxide DHMO therapy https://www.lockhaven.edu/~dsimanek/dhmo.htm and / or other fancy chemical names for the ingredients actually in these placebos. Then a simple updating of wikipedia pages showing their efficacy in treatment of various ailments along with their relative safety. In otherwords, since we are a society that places our faith in chemicals, why not just give the chemicals in the placebos their due and forget the word "placebo" all together?
(Score: 2) by urza9814 on Wednesday February 27 2019, @08:02PM (6 children)
Not sure if that will help much. In my experience, the people who demand a pill are going to demand a *specific* pill. If they were planning on trusting the doctor's judgement then they'd listen when he says they don't need one. But they already decided what they need before they even talk to him, so they go to the doctor and say "I feel like I'm getting the flu, gimme a Z-Pak just in case"...and the idiot doctor writes the prescription rather than arguing with them.
(Score: 3, Informative) by JoeMerchant on Wednesday February 27 2019, @08:23PM
Free market economy, if he doesn't give them the script they're asking for, they'll find an MD who will.
Witness: Oxycontin.
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 2) by dry on Thursday February 28 2019, @12:30AM (4 children)
Do they know exactly what drug or just the class of drugs? If they're demanding an antibiotic, the Dr can say, "try this new one" and give them garlic oil or such that does have some antibiotic properties. No actual lying.
(Score: 2) by urza9814 on Thursday February 28 2019, @12:15PM (3 children)
The ones I've met ask for name brands. That thing about the Z-Pak was pretty much a direct quote.
(Score: 2) by dry on Thursday February 28 2019, @05:55PM (2 children)
I guess living in a country where the pharma companies aren't allowed to advertise insulates from this.
(Score: 2) by urza9814 on Thursday February 28 2019, @07:02PM (1 child)
I've never seen ads for antibiotics...the profit margins generally aren't high enough. I think what happens is they get a legitimate infection and the doctor insists (due to their demands for it) that he's prescribing the best antibiotic the world has ever seen...and then every time they get a sniffle they demand this same "wonder drug".
(Score: 2) by dry on Thursday February 28 2019, @08:17PM
I guess education then. I've only asked for antibiotics when needed (earaches lately) and they cost enough to be a discouragement as well. $75 ear drops last time.