[Drugs--between empirical and rational use].

The present paper gives a general view of the position of drugs in relation to the complex therapy concept. The first part of the paper deals with the development of the experimental drug research from Claude Bernard's simple experiments in animals up to modern rational computerized drug design. It is followed by some aspects of the present and prospective importance in research of clinical therapy. Furthermore, the problem of placebo is explained in detail because it is unjustly out of interest. New approaches to the background of the placebo phenomenon and their significance in medicine are discussed. Therefore, it is necessary to integrate specific therapeutic concepts (e.g. drugs) with different unspecific attendances in the configuration of the relationship between doctor and patient. Finally, a short comment to the prospective emphasis of therapeutical research is given.