The word "placebo" comes from the Latin placebo ("I will please") and refers to a powerful, yet obscure healing process. The placebo effect is defined as “a little-understood process in which psychological factors such as belief and expectation trigger a healing response that can be as powerful as any conventional therapy—be it drugs, surgery, or psychotherapy—for a wide range of medical conditions.” and psychological problems. a substance with no apparent medicinal properties, used to mimic a drug in studies where the estimated effect may be distorted by the patient's own belief in the effectiveness of the drug.
- a substance without obvious medicinal properties, used to imitate a drug to improve the patient's well-being in cases where a more effective drug is not available.
Sometimes a placebo capsule or tablet is referred to as a "dummy".
As a placebo substance, it is recommended to use a physiologically inactive substance that is outwardly indistinguishable from the experimental drug. For example, when studying the effect of an active substance in herbal mixtures, the same mixture without the active ingredient should be used. Depending on the design of the experiment, another drug may be used as a placebo. Soothe the sick
Nearly all of the family physicians interviewed said they have recommended treatments to patients, such as supplements, probiotics, or alternative medicine, that are not proven medicine for their diagnosis.
Three-quarters of doctors said they recommended untested remedies daily or weekly.
Dr. Jeremy Gowick, one of the authors of the study by the universities of Oxford and Southampton, says that this is not about deceiving patients, but about the fact that doctors are trying to calm them down.
"This study shows that doctors in the UK are using placebos extensively because they are convinced that this is exactly what their patients want," says Dr Govik.
Claire Gerada, chairman of the Royal College of Family Physicians, said giving a patient a placebo disguised as a drug is acceptable practice as long as it is not harmful and inexpensive.
"A lot of doctors use them, and it really helps people," says Dr. Gerada. "If you think about it, a kiss on the cheek when you fell down could also be a placebo."
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