Chemotherapy Side Effects
this article (Links to an external site.) about the placebo.jpgcontroversy of using placebos for people being treated for cancer. Here are some quotes from the article which ends with a question:”Its unthinkable to give a placebo to someone to treat their cancer, but could we use one to treat chemotherapys well-known side effects? Unfortunately, we may never be able to answer this question because the biggest obstacle to finding out whether it would work is emotional rather than scientific.””A placebo is a medicine that doesnt contain an active drug ingredient but still has a therapeutic effect. Many studies have demonstrated a strong placebo effect. They can work even when people are told they are being given a placebo (although they work better when people are not told). But the ethics of placebo use is rather complicated.””So what do you think? Should medical staff consider the use of placebos to treat the chemotherapy side effects of cancer patients? Would you be happy if your mother, father, sister or brother was given a placebo while undergoing chemotherapy?”We need placebos to determine of a drug is effective, but is it ethical to give someone with cancer a placebo? What do you think?
