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# If you're going to buy a placebo, buy the nice placebo
- URL: https://ninja-pigeon.pikapod.net/if-youre-going-to-buy-a-placebo-buy-the-nice-placebo/
- Published: 2025-07-23T05:54:14.000Z
- Updated: 2026-08-24T11:08:35.000Z
- Author: zhuoyanakl
- Tags: life, #Migrated-1787569658619, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-24 11:07

![](https://ninja-pigeon.pikapod.net/content/images/2026/08/image-31-w-600.png)

This is a waste of money, experts say.

Lemsip is a total placebo. It's basically some acidic, zesty, lemon-tasting hot water with some panadol thrown in. That'll be $3 a serving please. The "max" version has phenylephrine, [widely known to be useless](https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/phenylephrine-a-common-decongestant-is-ineffective-say-fda-advisors-its-not-alone/?ref=ninja-pigeon.pikapod.net).

That said, I still buy it because it's exactly what my sore throat usually needs and I can't be arsed with buying honey and a lemon when I'm sick. Here I am awkwardly getting honey stuck to the spoon and the table, and what will you do with that knife you used to cut the lemon. Actually, are you going to use the other half of the lemon? Better get out the cling film before I stick it in the fridge and forget about it.

No. Stop that.

In pursuit of money-saving, I recently defected from Lemsip and bought this thing instead at Chemist Warehouse the other day. I thought we had made it far enough to avoid the need to buy namebrand placebo western TCM.

![](https://ninja-pigeon.pikapod.net/content/images/2026/08/image-32-w-1024.png)

Worst mistake of the week.

Tastes like ass. Tastes weird. Do not endorse.

Accept no substitute placebo lemon drink. Buy Lemsip today.

Now if only they bought out Lemsip with Pseudoephedrine. Hmmm....

![](https://ninja-pigeon.pikapod.net/content/images/2026/08/image-29-w-1024.png)

We're not allowed to have nice things, are we?