Noble Humbug? Hard and soft laws on clinical placebo use.

ABSTRACT: Despite the widespread historical and contemporary use of placebos in medicine, legal regulations addressing their administration remain limited in many countries. This paper examines the legal landscape of clinical placebo use, focusing on key jurisdictions such as France, Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Given the ethical and legal complexities surrounding placebo use, a critical assessment of existing regulatory frameworks is essential. This study employs a multidisciplinary approach, analyzing both binding laws ("hard laws") and non-binding principles ("soft laws") related to placebo administration. Data were collected from legal statutes, health institution guidelines, and professional medical codes to map the regulatory environment governing placebos i

SUBMITTER: Richard M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11938247 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature