(January 4, 2008 - Insidermedicine) A substantial portion of Chicago internists acknowledge using placebos in clinical practice, according to a study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

Here are some considerations about placebo use in routine clinical practice:

•    According to the ethics literature, routine use of placebos is controversial.

•    On the one hand, placebo use in unsuspecting patients cannot be used in concert with informed consent and non-deceptive medical practices.

•    On the other hand, there is potential for exploiting the benefits of the placebo effect in situations that do not pose ethical dilemmas.

Researchers out of the University of Chicago sent nearly 500 internists affiliated with three local universities questionnaires about placebo use. Nearly half of the internists completed and returned the questionnaire.

Overall, 45% of the respondents acknowledged using placebos in their clinical practice. Among these physicians, 34% indicated that they presented the placebo to patients as "a substance that may help and will not hurt." Others described the placebo as "a medication" or "a medication with no specific effect". Only 4% of the physicians specifically told their patients they were receiving a placebo. Nearly all the respondents reported that they do believe placebos can have therapeutic benefits.

Today's research suggests that a large proportion of physicians use placebos in clinical practice, at least on occasion. The authors recommend that the use of placebos and other unproven therapies in medical practice be given greater recognition and that discussion regarding the implication of these practices be initiated.

For Insidermedicine in Depth, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.