The Placebo Shop (on eBay now)

The placebo effect

97% of doctors have used placebo treatments for certain patients. There are, apparently, true placebo treatments. Pills that consist of nothing but coated sugar, that sort of thing. Tonics that are nothing but coloured water or cold tea. There are also, apparently, secondary placebos. They include unnecessary blood tests followed by an 'all clear' message that the doctor knew was coming before the lab results arrived. An examination and a 'everything in order' where it isn't really called for, to reassure a worried patient.

According to the doctors' representative, the shock isn't the 97%, but that as many as 3% have not used a placebo.

Doesn't that, however, suggest that 97% of doctors have, at some time, deceived their patients? Led them, for their own good, but still led them up the garden path?

Doesn't that also suggest that it works? Were that not the case, and with so many using them, wouldn't there have been a patients' rebellion by now. Some sort of outcry, at least.

Can I invent a syndrome here, and also invent a niche product?

Place-know (pla-see-no) syndrome: this is where the person knows full well that they're taking a sugar pill or spoonfuls of coloured water, but notice an improvement in their condition or symptoms in any case. Where, despite knowing they've been administered a placebo, they're cured.

The niche product may one day sit beside the aspirin, paracetamol, cough medicine and other off the shelf remedies on the chemist and supermarket shelves. Simply known as Placebo (TM) pills or potions, these inert and medically neutral substances would be available directly to the public, at a fraction of the cost of a NHS prescription. All we need is some fancy packaging and production can begin.

The (even more) essential Miles Davis

I've been listening to this a lot. It has trumped my Essential Miles Davis double cd. It's four cds. Maybe it should be called more of the essential Miles Davis.

There's been a budget

That used to mean something. Radios were tuned into the speech and the commentary. Whether or not it mattered, there was a little bit of sitting up and taking notice. Even if it was only lip service to join in the conversation. That does not seem to be the case any more. Outside the more politicised broadcasters, there's little media or public interest I've come across.

Serious foul play

Typical Football Association, and typical officiating. A potentially career-ending challenge, the player goes unpunished and a protesting assistant manager is sent off to the stands. Swearing and handbags, having an opinion equates to bringing the game into disrepute, unless it agrees with the FA's opinion, they're all swiftly dealt with in draconian fashion.

However, the FA, the players' union, the clubs, the referees, uncle Tom Cobblers, all signed up to the deal at the start of the season. Unless anyone dissented then, they're on rocky ground squeaking too loudly now.