Evidence is increasingly showing that open-label placebos (OLPs) can serve as an effective and safe approach for managing a variety of chronic health conditions. Because patients are fully informed that they are taking a placebo, OLPs are typically viewed as an ethically sound alternative to traditional placebo treatments, which rely on deception. Yet, despite their safety and potential therapeutic benefits, the counterintuitive nature of OLPs can make clinicians hesitant to offer them in practice. To overcome this challenge, we propose framing OLPs in clinical settings as a calculated gamble that patients and practitioners can consider together.
