By Mark Lange, PhD
A new placebo pill for children has hit the market. The pill, a cherry-flavored sugar tablet, is for children who think they need medicine. It’s called Obecalp, which is placebo spelled backward. Obecalp’s website introduces us to the reassuring power of placebo –
“Hi. Welcome to the Placebo Store. I’m Jen. I am a mommy. It’s what I love. Whether it’s a kiss or a big hug, the magic happens immediately. This is the power of placebo.”
Gosh, when I experienced childhood distress, my mommy gave me a hug and said it would be alright. It never entered her mind to use deception instead of nurturing when dealing with a child awakened in the night from a bad dream. She explained that if something bad happens in a dream, it won’t happen in real life. Now parents can reach for relief in a bottle of Obecalp and say, “Here you go, take two of these; those scary monsters will disappear and you’ll sleep through the night.”
How ethical is it to teach children that the only way they can get better is by taking a pill? Is this the inevitable effect of a Ritalin-filled world? I don’t know whether this is good use of placebo or not. The pills will make some kids feel better and really, how much difference is there between the “kiss and make it better” approach and Obecalp? Nonetheless, Obecalp may increase children’s psychological need for medical intervention, when they might be better off developing tolerance for life’s minor aches and pains.