Another medicine-related post, this time dealing a little less with the abstract numbers that go into medical decisions. Did you know that Norway represents the most MRSA-free country in the world? Neither did I. When you read the article, though, it becomes immediately clear why: less wide-spread, reflexive, knee-jerk use of broad-spectrum antibiotics. Add to that the antibacterial crazy nature of household cleaning products, foams, sprays, soaps, anti-germ surfaces and you get what western society has now: ever-rising numbers of MRSA, VRE, and multi-drug resistant bacterial infections. I find this very interesting how the use of sane government-implemented policies and laws created an atmosphere in Norway that allowed physicians to treat appropriately rather than as a reflex or because a patient asked for antibiotics. What are the chances American politicians might move in a similar direction. Hmm. Zero.

Yes. I’m a pessimist.