“I believe this type of behaviour is not uncommon worldwide; it ends up as a scandal in Italy, and remains a secret elsewhere.”

- Yes, this is true – lots of ‘superbug’ problems in the UK, and it was a standing joke in the UK that you went in to a National Health Service hospital for an operation on an ingrowing toenail and came out minus a leg!

I have not heard of similar problems with private clinics though – but maybe they just cover things up better…

“As patients, we now have the power of the internet to challenge our doctors on each and every consultation, and we should use it more often.”

You are more sophisticated than most – I have used the www in this way, but I wonder how many other do, and I’m not so sure that there is masses of info on this subject in Italian – which makes things more difficult for Italians.

“After all, doctors are also in the business of making money and there is no reason to believe every word they say.”

True, but you would expect doctors to act rather more ethically than a vacuum cleaner salesman, at least, I would.

Interesting points, thanks for the comments,

Alex

As patients, we now have the power of the internet to challenge our doctors on each and every consultation, and we should use it more often. Useless operations can be avoided if patients are knowledgeable enough to discuss their diseases with their doctors.

When a sales rep knocks at our door and wants to sell us a useless vacuum cleaner at 1,000 Euros, we no longer believe every word he says, because we read enough news stories and consumer magazines. We should be prepared in the same way when we consult our doctor. After all, doctors are also in the business of making money and there is no reason to believe every word they say.