Thank God chiropractors cannot prescribe!

A recent reader of this blog, Ed, responded to my post regarding an article titled “half of doctors prescribe placebos“.  The article points out that half of all doctors in the US prescribe placebos instead of drugs designed to treat conditions other than the one that brought their patient into the office in the first place.

Ed was glad that his son’s pediatrician had prescribed a placebo without telling Ed (or his son) what he was doing.  The gist of the article was that it was unethical for the doctor to do so without informing the patient.

Ed was pleased that the placebo worked and ended his post saying “Thank God chiropractors cannot prescribe”.  Maybe Ed’s point that his son got better WITHOUT being given a REAL drug.  And, guess what?  That was precisely MY point, too!  Imagine how much safer American healthcare could be if HALF of all people taking dangerous drugs DIDN’T!

Honestly Ed, I’m glad chiropractors CANNOT prescribe drugs.  Because when you make money to prescribe drugs and the patient does not need a drug, chiropractors CANNOT be tempted to do so just to appease their patient and keep them coming back.  Doctors have a fiduciary responsibility to their clients and informed consent is a vital part of that responsibility.

Thanks God chiropractors cannot prescribe! That GUARANTEES folks that there IS at least ONE kind of doctor that WON’T risk your health or your life by prescribing a potentially dangerous, ESPECIALLY when you don’t need it!

For a better idea of what chiropractors CAN do, try this post:  What does a chiropractor REALLY do?