Intended for healthcare professionals

Rapid response to:

Paper

Questionnaire survey on use of placebo

BMJ 2004; 329 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.38236.646678.55 (Published 21 October 2004) Cite this as: BMJ 2004;329:944

Rapid Response:

Diagnostic test?

I would suggest using a placebo for diagnostic purposes is not
evidence-based and positively dangerous - placebo responders are no more
likely than non-responders to have psychosomatic disease. A second point -
the response of a placebo control is due to other factors as well as
placebo effect (placebo vs nocebo).

Competing interests:
None declared

Competing interests: No competing interests

26 October 2004
Dr John Rumbold
n/a
West Midlands