Originally Posted By: samhain
It was not uncommon for physicians to prescribe antibiotics for a patient coming to their office with a cold (virus) just to shut them up. Folks in America tend to not feel they've gotten their "money's worth" unless they walk out of the doctor's office with a prescription of some sort.

I'm convinced I could do quite well impersonating a GP.

1st visit: "It's a virus, go home, get lots of rest and drink lots of water."
2nd visit: "Ok, perhaps its bacterial, here's an antibiotic, go home, get lots of rest and drink lots of water."
3rd visit: "Let's run a few blood tests." (or x-rays, mix it up a little)
4th visit: "Hmmmmm, I think you need to see a specialist."

At any rate, that article sounds like good news, we already have all kinds of antibiotics developed, while a specific flu vaccine can't be developed until the nasty strain breaks out and is identified.
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- Tom S.

"Never trust and engineer who doesn't carry a pocketknife."