Prescribing of Placebos

Clinical Description

• Avoid this whenever possible. Instead spend time reassuring and educating the patient
• If it is necessary to prescribe a placebo, always choose a safe, cheap medicine which is not essential for the treatment of other important conditions, e.g., multivitamin tablets or vitamin B compound tablets
• Never prescribe injections as placebo
• Never prescribe tranquilizers e.g., diazepam, phenobarbitone, as placebos