The Erection of a Placebo

When yesterday's placebo is tomorrow's treatment

Neuroskeptic iconNeuroskeptic
By Neuroskeptic
Mar 30, 2021 12:00 AMMar 30, 2021 8:06 PM
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Last week, a British company called Futura Medical announced that their new erectile dysfunction (ED) treatment, MED3000, had been approved as a medical device in the EU. Futura's share price shot up shortly afterwards.

But MED3000 is no ordinary treatment. It is, in fact, possibly the first time in history that a company has knowingly commercialized a placebo.

Rise of a Placebo

MED3000 is a gel which is rubbed into the head of the penis to enhance erections. Futura state that it "is a highly effective, clinically proven, topical treatment for erectile dysfunction" with "60% of patients seeing onset of their erection within 5-10 minutes of application."

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