It is with great sadness that I have decided to close down the Placebo Journal. I write this with tears in my eyes. The Placebo Journal has been my baby for the past ten years and it has been a long road since being thrown out in Atlanta at the AAFP Scientific Assembly in 2001. When I first started it, I wanted to put out a publication like no other. I wanted to push the envelope and make fun of the hypocrisy and lunacy that goes on with this job. I am proud to say that I did that. I can also say now that I never really ran out of ideas to keep it going because there were too many idiots involved in our profession (who shouldn’t be). What I did run out of, however, was money.
This has been a very tough decision for me but one that had to be made. I tried an austerity budget to squeeze out some more time but the “online” readers for the digital edition never appeared. It is what it is and I make no excuses.
For those that feel ripped off, I sincerely apologize. The only way to make this up to you newbies is to put online twelve of the best of our old issues over these past ten years. You will find them in the same section where you clicked to get onto this issue. You also have a free “story of the day” that will continue to roll on the web site for free. Again, I am sorry.
I am very proud of the concept and execution of delivering the Placebo Journal over the past decade. I have endured a lot of attacks during that time but it also opened up a lot of opportunities. Heck, I almost got a television show out of the deal! But it was all not meant to be.
I want to thank you fellow Placebians for believing in the cause. You loyal followers kept me going and kept me inspired for all these years. It was great being your King of Medicine.
My future is in flux at this time. I will continue to blog at the same Placebo Journal Blog (which is now called Authentic Medicine Blog) because I do think someone needs to continue to poke the bear. I will continue to keep up www.placebojournal.com for a while longer in order give those recent subscribers some value for their subscription (see above). I will try to answer any emails you send me unless you decide to shred me and use me for target practice. But that being said, going online today is our final issue of the Placebo Journal and for that I am very sad and very grateful.
Before I go, please remember to keep smiling, keep laughing and keep out of the sample closet.
Sincerely,
Douglas Farrago MD (formerly the King of Medicine)
P.S. Now if someone wanted to drop a few million bucks on the resurrecting this son-of-a-bitch in print form then all bets are off.
P.S.S. I’m kidding.
P.S.S.S. Maybe.
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