A simple way to find a simple answer to a simple question

A difference of opinion appeared at a typical luncheon meeting sponsored by a pharmaceutical company. A young doctor returning from overseas, a not-so-young general practitioner and a young drug representative new to the job met for the first time and were trying to make social conversation. The young doctor mentioned how a young lady requesting morning-after pills had misunderstood his instructions and took eight combined oral contraceptive pills as a single dose instead of four tablets to start with and four more twelve hours later. She developed severe vomiting afterwards. The more senior colleague questioned why he had used four tablets when two tablets at twelve hour interval would be quite sufficient. The young drug representative concurred and remarked that his married sister had obtained morning-after pills from the Family Planning Association before and she only needed to take a total of four tablets. Each of the two doctors believed he was right and the other was wrong. However, they could not put forward any strong argument except that they had remembered it that way. The poor drug representative went pale being caught in the middle and could not decide which side he should be on. Then the three noticed that the pharmaceutical company’s Sales Manager, together with a group of other doctors were heading their way and were about to chip in. The morbid fear of making a fool of oneself in front of one’s colleagues took over the three and the topic was quickly dropped. After all, medicine is such a broad and ever-changing subject, one cannot really be too sure about anything at times. By the time the luncheon meeting was over, the discussion was forgotten by all. How often do we let questions and answers pass us by? How often do we shy away from an opportunity to seek an answer for fear of embarrassment? How often do we take action to look up for an answer ourselves? If we start asking questions, we may get some answers.