Placebo therapy and the law: prescribe with care.

The use of placebos by physicians for therapeutic purposes is a common part of clinical medical practice. This Article examines the legal and ethical ramifications of placebo prescription. In particular, ethical concerns are related to substantive legal theories that may be advanced to attack or defend the practice of placebo therapy in particular cases. The author concludes that, under certain strictly defined circumstances, the use of placebos in patient care is ethically and legally justifiable. However, from any perspective, the rights and duties inherent in the physician-patient relationship must be respected by the physician when considering the clinical use of placebos.