A worthwhile wager: the ethics of open-label placebo treatment in clinical practice.

Abstract

There is increasing evidence for the use of open-label placebo (OLP) as an effective and safe treatment for a range of chronic conditions. OLP is generally conceived as an ethical alternative to classic placebo treatment because patients know that they are taking a placebo and are hence not deceived. However, despite its potential benefits and lack of side effects, the paradoxical nature of OLP may make it difficult to propose as a treatment option in clinical practice. To mitigate this issue, we propose a practical way for clinicians and patients to conceive of OLP in clinical practice: namely, as a worthwhile wager.