Survey Says Half of American Doctors Use Placebo Treatments

First, the link: http://apnews.myway.com/article/20081023/D940G7Q01.html

"LONDON (AP) - About half of American doctors in a new survey say they regularly give patients placebo treatments - usually drugs or vitamins that won't really help their condition. And many of these doctors are not honest with their patients about what they are doing, the survey found."

Um...I guess that would be a problem? Sort of? Just imagine, you go in to have an ingrown toenail on your right foot removed. "Well, I'm very sorry to tell you this, Mr Jones. But we're going to need to amputate your left arm."

"My left?!? For an ingrown toenail??"

"I have the degree, Mr Jones. Don't argue with me. See my diploma? I filled it out my own sel.... Oh. Well, at least I have one, right?"

Just think of all the money that goes to paying doctors whom, as it turns out, about half of them don't give us the treatment that we need. It makes me wonder how many of them give us drugs not to help us, but because the pharma companies are paying them.

"You know, Dr Jones, we know that your practice needs that financial 'shot in the arm.' So if you've prescribe our new miracle drug "Pannin" (main ingredients - paint thinner and tap water) we'll see that your practice stays around for many years to come."

And many of them "...are not honest with their patients about what they are doing..." Are they doctors or politicians in training??

I thought we went to doctors to get help for medical conditions, not be lied to and given something that we don't need.

Was I wrong?

" "It's a disturbing finding," said Franklin G. Miller, director of the research ethics program at the U.S. National Institutes Health and one of the study authors. "There is an element of deception here which is contrary to the principle of informed consent." "

Yes, this is one of those 'duh' moments. But as an aside, with business and politicians screwing us over (and now half of doctors too) ... there are still ethics programmes?

Do I want to know what they're teaching? This really reminds me of the Dragnet episode "The Big Quack."

(They were talking about a door with two "Doctors" names painted onto the glass.) "Brother, look at all the letters after the names, huh? What would it take to get a lineup of degrees like that?"

"A paint brush and about ten minutes." - Joe Friday.

(H/T: Drudge Report)