Using placebo effect in medicine or during the clinical trials has been an ethical conundrum for physicians in clinical practice. The evidence suggests that the benefits do not alter the pathophysiology of the disease beyond symptomatic manifestation. In this regard, a number of studies have demonstrated that the placebo effects are not just about prescribing dummy pills, but the clinician’s interaction and the effects of symbols can significantly reduce the pain, nausea, or the side effects of the treatment (especially cancer treatment).
Administering a placebo needs deception (or double-blind conditions) for placebo pills to work. In your opinion, should ‘placebo medicine’ exist or not?
