In Germany and Switzerland, more and more placebos are being prescribed, i.e. specifics that pretend to be medicines, reports New Scientist.
According to a report by the German Medical Association, 53 percent of doctors at the University of Hanover said they would prescribe a placebo – for example, vitamin pills and homeopathic remedies. Half of the doctors in the Swiss survey agreed.
In the UK, drugs considered to be placebo – including homeopathic remedies – are rejected by specialists. However, as Christopher Fuchs from the German Association of Doctors points out, one should be aware of the value of placebo in the daily treatment of patients and use it when dealing with very minor ailments or when traditional therapies are not available (PAP).