Book Excerpts – Blind Spots:By MD Makary Marty

When Medicine Gets it Wrong, and What it Means for our Health by MD Makary Marty

Published - 2024

Common perceptions - if you have fever, get a medicine to reduce it. But, fevers are the body’s natural way of fighting infections, yet they are often immediately suppressed with medication. Research shows that treating fevers can prolong illnesses, meaning that we might need to rethink the automatic use of fever-reducing drugs and instead consider whether a fever might be beneficial in some cases.

The overprescription of antibiotics is a significant problem. Studies estimate that about half of the antibiotics prescribed are unnecessary, often given for viral infections that they don’t treat. This careless use not only contributes to antibiotic resistance but also causes immediate harm by killing the beneficial bacteria that keep the body in balance.