Parents are away. I'm in charge of the house. House driver? Me. Food provider for my sisters? Me. Critical decision maker? Me. Person to complain to when sick? Me also.
Sister walks in this evening and tells me that she's got a fever. I check. Confirmed. She is running a temperature. What to do?
Take her to the clinic? Naah... she's not sick enough for that. Prescribe two panadol and set her on her way. GPs at clinics have a tendency of over-prescribing antibiotics for the mildest illnesses. Don't want my sister to be drugged up.
Over-prescription is a real problem in the medical community (read more). My dad (and hence, his family) is of the belief that over-prescription is a direct reason why a number of previously harmless bugs are becoming increasingly dangerous. With drugs being used when they shouldn't be, these bugs are evolving natural resistances. So when you really need a drug to work, it doesn't.
Doctors, especially GPs who you could argue have financial incentives to over-prescribe, should be more trusting of the natural human immune system. Its served us well for thousands of years. It'll serve us well for thousands more.
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