Developing the Argument

In addition to arguing that placebos are dangerous to the patient in many different ways, my other subtopics include that prescribing them is morally and ethically wrong, it makes patients pay money for these medications when the pills themselves have no effect, there are alternative options that could achieve the same effects, and it creates a strong dependence on drugs.

> Prescribing Placebos is Morally/Ethically Wrong
*Composed of three different parts (the AMA Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs, the AMA Ethics Resource Center, and the AMA Institute for Ethics), the American Medical Association is responsible for establishing policies and guidelines that ensure professionalism and ethical practices.
*Before becoming a doctor, one must agree to follow all of the laws listed under this Association.
*A few include, always putting the patients’ health and well being first, being honest in all professional interactions, reporting a physicians misconduct whether it be engaging in fraud, deception, etc., respecting the law, safeguarding patient confidences
*The use of placebos undermines these laws and if pursued, could be taken to the AMA Ethics Court
* The use of placebos gets in the way of the doctor – patient relationship. It significantly blocks open lines of communication and can lead to mistrust.
> To develop this argument I will further research the AMA and provide a counter act and argument for each law with the use of placebos.

>Patients Are Paying For These Inert Medications
*NYT, there was a study where two different groups of people were given placebos (which they thought to be actual medication) of different costs. One was $2.50 while the other was $0.10.
*More people from the group who paid $2.50 experienced results that were significantly stronger
*When doctors prescribe placebos, they are causing patients to pay for medication that they do not need.
*This can even cause issues with insurance companies if patients are covered because they are unknowingly filing claims for medication that is not necessary. The company is paying for something they could do without, especially in this tight economy.

>There Are Alertnatives
*The placebo effect is described as giving patients “inert” substances as a means to produce results that would usually only result in medically active ingredients
*Giving patients fake medications and making them believe cause the brain to secrete opioids, chemicals used for pain relief
*If the mind/body relationship is really that powerful, then there really is no need for the pills. The pills represent assurance, something in which the doctor could give with no health risks or cost if they just talked to their patients.
*Other methods could convince and calm the patient enough to secrete the opiods without the pills.

>Dependance on Drugs
*Placebos just feed in to the whole misconception that everything can be cured with a drug – for every pain, there is a pill.
*It can easily create a dependence and addiction.
*Doctor's take the easy way out.