CASES: When Bad Advice Is the Best Advice

Dr. Norah Neylon was caring for a 50-year-old woman who was overwhelmed with care-giving responsibilities of her own. The woman’s mother was experiencing early signs of dementia. Five of her relatives had died in the past three years. She frequently had to fly back and forth from California to the Caribbean to take care of…

Shutterstock Too often, people with viral illness leave the doctor’s office with prescriptions for antibiotics. That’s a real problem. Antibiotics don’t treat viruses, often cause side effects, and when taken too often, lead to drug resistance. So when you have a bad cough and go to the doctor, you should hope to see someone who…