What would you do?

[Deleted]

The situation:
You are a doctor. There are two new diseases in the world. They aren't transmitted by contact with an infected person, and it is unknown how you get them. They both have the same symptoms. These are: tiredness, short attention span, blurred vision and ringing in ears. They are equally common - there is absolutely no way of telling the difference between them. However, they each have a very different cure. If you give them the wrong medicine, it makes the disease worse - they become very tired, but are unable to sleep, they go completely deaf and can't see clearly any further away than about a foot in front of them (glasses etc don't work). If you give them the right medicine, they are completely cured, immune to both forms of the disease AND all other diseases.

The choice:
In your clinic is a patient with one of the diseases. Do you attempt to cure him/her?

[Deleted]

No, find out more before risking it

[Deleted]

In such a situation the choice would not be in my hands, but that of the the patient. I'd let them decide after explaining the situation to them as best I could.

[Sealed Shut]

I would do neither, i would give them a placebo. and after they haven't gone deaf, i will point it out and how they took the right one and are cured.

[Liara]

In such a situation the choice would not be in my hands, but that of the the patient. I'd let them decide after explaining the situation to them as best I could.

Precisely.
Giving a patient anything without his consent is legal assault. So it's his choice - I'm just the "messenger".

[Reyzzz]

Both diseases are called hangover and the correct medicine is called "time".

[Deleted]

Medical doctrine says you never give medication unless you are 100% sure. Same procedure applies to snake bites, the person may die if you do not apply anti venom or apply the wrong kind, even so you do not apply it unless you can 100% identify the snake.

[Deleted]

If there were absolutely no differences between the diseases then they'd be the same disease with the same treatments.
If the cure is different then something is different between them and as such it would be ultimately possible to find out which is which, though finding out which it is may take too long.

[Larynx]

If there were absolutely no differences between the diseases then they'd be the same disease with the same treatments.
If the cure is different then something is different between them and as such it would be ultimately possible to find out which is which, though finding out which it is may take too long.

Same symptoms do not equal the same disease.

[vizzle]

These threads are just getting less and less creative. There is absolutely no upside or downside to either situation. You could flip a coin.

[Deleted]

Same symptoms do not equal the same disease.

It was more trying to get a clarification of the post, for if only the symptoms are the same but the cure is different then there would be a way to tell them apart.

[Kerath]

Neither - I explain the situation and the options to the patient and let them make the decision.
I don't think any medical professional would be prepared to administer a medicine that had a 50/50 chance of making the patient worse.

[Aitch]

Study the cures, not the diseases, and you will find the difference.

[vizzle]

Many people here don't understand the point of a thought experiment. You can't go beyond what is specified.

[Deleted]

Just stop taking Nexium pills and all above simptoms will perish

[Deleted]

I'd run more tests and if there is not enough time or it's impossible to tell, let the patients decide. Things like that are never up to a doctor anyway.

[Grym]

You toss a coin, give them one of the medicine, and tell them this disease is currently incurable, however there are some rare case that people recover from it. Tell them take the medicine, don't expect to be cured but miracles can happen.

[Narc]

I'd discuss it with the patient, and leave it up to her. Preferably also adding a contract of some kind, so I wouldn't be in for a damn lawsuit.

[Deleted]

I'd need to discuss it with the patient beforehand so they can give informed consent.

[Symphonic]

If one pill doesn't work, pump their stomach. Give them the other medicine.