Sunday, February 13, 2011

Paying for Placebos

I'm coming down with a cold -- and it couldn't be worse timing. This week promises to be tiring and stressful anyway: my new coworker starts tomorrow and I'm responsible for training her, plus I'm traveling at the end of the week and speaking at two universities. I really can't afford to get sick.

So on the way to brunch this morning, I bought some Airborne. There's been a lot of controversy about Airborne and whether it's a legitimate aid to curing or reducing colds. In fact, it was part of a class-action lawsuit that netted me a small reimbursement for false advertising. Here's my take: extra vitamins and minerals may not help, but they probably can't hurt. Not only that, but it seems like it helps. There's some evidence that placebos may help just by virtue of the patient thinking they work. It seems true for me with Airborne.

So yeah. I spent $7.79 on something that might be a total crock. Even though I'm normally an underbuyer and don't do things like that, I think this was worth it.

Let's see if I stay well and prove it...

Do you knowingly spend money on something that may or may not do you any good?


  1. I've used Airborne in the past, with mixed results.

    I'll tell you what does work. This was recommended to me by a doctor years ago. MEGA doses of Vitamin C taken over 2 days. I'm talking 5 or 6 Vitamin C pills each day, ideally taken the minute you start to feel the first itch of a cold. It will wipe out 97 percent of colds--you won't ever develop a full one.

  2. I'm never good when I'm sick, preferring to just ride it out till I get better. The only medicine that I've taken time and time again is Nurofen - I find that it works every single time for me.


Thanks for commenting!