title: Attitudes Toward Placebo Use in Lebanon.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Placebo use, both in clinical trials and patient care, is a problematic ethical issue surrounded by opposing arguments from those who advocate its use versus those who do not. This problematic aspect of placebo is more challenging in Lebanon where religious ideologies dominate people's beliefs, and where laws that guide medical care are vague. This paper aims to highlight the cultural ideologies that dominate medical care and the perspectives of people associated with the field.
  
  
  METHODS
  The method relied on semi-structured interviews with religious leaders, representatives of society and healthcare professionals. Panel discussions incorporating healthcare professionals, academics, scientists and medical researchers were also organized.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The legal environment in Lebanon is characterized by lack of an appropriate legislative guideline that categorically clarifies the value of the human person in medical care. There is a lack of a common ethical standard within a society characterized by social and political dissent. The culturally upheld principles and actual application of the principles of ethics surrounding patient autonomy were overviewed. Medical practitioners failed to agree to a general outline that should guide the use of placebo where it became evident that each practitioner adopted a subjective framework which ultimately undermines patient autonomy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The paper proposes that until a new legislative code that clarifies ethical principles properly guiding medical care is coined, the process of placebo use will continue to be subject to the paternalistic assessments of medical professionals.
authors: Neurology Division, Saint Charles Hospital, Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon; Laboratory of Medical Ethics and Legal Medicine, University Paris, Descartes, France. Electronic address: fadiaboumrad@gmail.com.
authors: Fadi
authors: F
authors: Abou-Mrad
authors: Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon; Institute of Social Sciences, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors: Lubna
authors: L
authors: Tarabey
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D007861:Lebanon; D010919:Placebos; D012068:Religion and Medicine
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos
keywords: Cultural diversity; Lebanon; Placebo; legislative codes; patient autonomy