(Wired) – Many doctors—perhaps as many as 97 percent, according to a 2018 survey—prescribe placebos at some point in their careers. The American Medical Association green-lights placebo use as long as the patient is informed and consents; they need not be aware of when they’re getting a placebo, only that it may be among the treatments. (The Hippocratic oath says, “Do no harm” not “Tell the whole truth.”) A typical doctor might prescribe antibiotics even though the patient has a viral infection, or vitamin supplements even though there’s no deficiency. What’s different about your doctor is that she’s letting you in on the secret. She’s prescribing a so-called open-label placebo. (Read More)