Doctors prescribe placebo pills that are intended to have a psychological effect, a new survey finds.

The placebos reported by the 679 physicians in the survey often aren't the inactive substances used in controlled clinical trials.

Most people when they say 'placebo' think of something like a sugar pill,"But doctors can use a treatment that may have some effects but that they think will not have a direct effect on the patient except by the placebo effect."


Only 3 percent of the doctors responding in the survey reported prescribing sugar pills. But 41 percent said they used over-the-counter painkillers as placebos, 38 percent used vitamins, 13 percent used antibiotics, and 13 percent used sedatives.

The survey also found that only 5 percent of the doctors who prescribe a placebo treatment describe it as such. The great majority, 68 percent, describe it as a potentially beneficial medicine or treatment not typically used for the condition.

And almost two-thirds of the doctors in the survey said they believed the practice to be ethically permissible.

Drug Recall Notice

ETHEX Corporation notified healthcare professionals of a voluntary recall of a single lot of morphine sulfate 60 mg extended release tablets (Lot No. 91762) due to a report of a tablet with twice the appropriate thickness.

Oversized tablets may contain as much as two times the labeled level of active morphine sulfate.

The lot was distributed by ETHEX Corporation under an "ETHEX" label between April 16th and April 27th of 2008.

Opioids such as morphine have life-threatening consequences if overdosed. Consequences can include respiratory depression (difficulty or lack of breathing), and low blood pressure.

Many patients for whom this product is prescribed are likely to be highly debilitated with reduced strength or energy as a result of illness, and may be less likely to determine that a tablet is overweight or oversized than an unimpaired individual.

If consumers have any questions about the recall, they should call their physician, pharmacist, or other health care provider.

Read the MedWatch 2008 safety summary, including a link to the firm's press release regarding this issue at:
http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#Morphine

By Suzeq

My doctor and I have had many conversations about this very topic. I am so worried about the addiction factor that comes with taking pain meds on a regular basis over a long period of time. Both my primary care doc and the other two specialists I see told me that you cannot take the type of meds we need without becoming dependent on them to a point. This is how he explained to me the difference in being 'dependence' on meds for medical reasons verses outright addiction.

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US Recalls Some Digoxin Tablets, May Contain Twice the Approved Level of Active Ingredient
MORRISTOWN, NJ -- April 29, 2008 -- Actavis Totowa LLC, a US manufacturing division of the international generic pharmaceutical company Actavis Group, has initiated a Class I nationwide recall of all strengths of digoxin tablets (Digitek) for oral use. The products are distributed by Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc., under a "Bertek" label and by UDL Laboratories, Inc. under a "UDL" label.

The voluntary all-lot recall is due to the possibility that tablets with double the appropriate thickness may have been commercially released. These tablets may contain twice the approved level of the active ingredient than appropriate.

Digoxin tablets are used to treat heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms. The existence of double-strength tablets poses a risk of digitalis toxicity in patients with renal failure. Digitalis toxicity can cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, low blood pressure, cardiac instability, and bradycardia. Death can also result from excessive digoxin intake. Several reports of illnesses and injuries have been received.

This recall is being conducted with the knowledge of the US Food and Drug Administration.

SOURCE: Actavis Totowa LLC