Let me share one example that I've encountered. I've seen American doctors panic at the sight of a certain condition common in some parts of the world. They generally have no experience with it, and tend to go right to the big bat. Unnecessarily big, and with last serious side effects, I was told by foreign doctors who knew how to treat this problem.

What was curious for me was that the parasite host had to take an experimental drug. Was it experimental because it was new, or was it because the FDA watches over drugs a lot more cautiously than its counterpart in other countries? In other words, was it difficult for him to get access to the drug because of government regulations, or because of the scarcity of this drug? Perhaps in areas where that parasite occurred regularly, doctors could get access to to that drug easily due to the relative lack of regulations and to the need for this drug.

We're just speculating & shooting the breeze. Neither one of us knows more than what the article tells us, but I think the lessons are: (1) don't forget the insect repellent, and (2) if you emerge from the jungle with anything remotely weird, get it treated right away. Don't stop until it's gone, and certainly don't wait for months.

Da Bing