Posted by Ines on May 5, 2007, at 16:08:05
In reply to Re: Placebo effect, posted by linkadge on May 5, 2007, at 9:56:32
Hey,
I completely agree with you that it would be completely wrong to use this indiscriminately. The situation you are describing is one where the patient is presenting new symptoms, and obviously that should never be ignored. When I think it is justifiable is if you know the patient very well, you know nothing more can be done for wathever the patient is complaining about + you know the patient is highly responsive to being given something that they believe will help them. If they believe it will help them there's a high chance that it will do something for them just because of that belief, and in the end the outcome is what matters in my view. Anyway, I won't post more about this because I understand it is controversial and I would never advocate it being used as a rule. But I do believe that sometimes the best doctors are the ones who think outside the box.
Ines
poster:Ines
thread:755317
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070502/msgs/756117.html