UK Doctors Who Have Given Placebos: 97 Percent

Wednesday, March 20, 2013 - 21:01 in Health & Medicine

If you're a taxpayer in the UK, you get medical care for free - even if it's nothing at all. A survey  conducted by the Universities of Oxford and Southampton found that 97% of UK doctors registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) have prescribed placebo treatments to patients at least once in their career.  'Impure' placebos are treatments that are unproven, such as antibiotics for suspected viral infections, or more commonly non-essential physical examinations and blood tests performed to reassure patients. 'Pure' placebos are treatments such as sugar pills or saline injections which contain no active ingredients. 97% of doctors have used 'impure' placebo treatments while 12% have used 'pure' placebos.    read more

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